Kingdom Hearts II The Untold Chronicles
by AiSatsujinZayane
Summary: Two mysterious girls were separeted from a dreadful escape. They end up on Destiny Island, each cared for by different people of the island. Could it be fate that the girls found the Keepers of the Keyblades, Sora and Riku? Because they have secrets...
1. Prologe

**Kingdom Hearts II The Untold Chronicles**

**Prologue**

Their eyes looked at each other's as they lay bond tightly on the cold, steel operating tables. They were on their bellies with their backs in the air. They only had the classic white medical gowns—open in the back. It was simple; however, they had angelic wings bursting out from where their shoulder blades met.

One girl was of African American decent. On her wrist was a hospital arm band that read:

"_Alias: Ashley—Occupation: Key—Captive for observation."_

Her eyes were a deep maroon and her hair was short yet bone straight. Adjacent to Ashley was her close friend, Shuku. Shuku had grey, eyes and long auburn hair. Her hair was kept tied loosely at her bottom. Her arm band read just the same, but different names of course.

Men and women wearing light green medical scrubs hovered over the two young ladies. Ashley and Shuku couldn't see any faces because they were covered with surgical masks. They were embarrassed, more than anything they were shamed by their backside exposure. They hear the slap of the so called doctors putting on latex gloves. Shuku cringed. She was allergic to latex. Every time the doctors touched her, she broke out in hives.

"We're 'clipping' their wings today in a test to determine if they will grow back." A doctor announced to a nurse. "Could you sedate them?" The tables both shook violently.

"No you can't! You can't! We've passed all your pointless test! Leave us with what gives us identity!" Shuku cried out.

"They won't come back! If I hacked off your leg it wouldn't come back, either! It's the same logic! You don't need to do this!" Ashley argued with Shuku.

There was a sharp pain in their derrière. They had been sedated via the butt. Ashley and Shuku fought the heavy sleep. Ashley watched Shuku slowly close her eyes, and Shuku in turn watched Ashley close hers…

Ashley touched Shuku's scars in their dark and morbid cell. It smelled like mold, blood, and the tears that they cried. There wasn't even a nub to remember their wings. Ashley turned her back to Shuku and she observed. Shuku didn't have much light to see since their window was a tiny square with bars. Even their lofts were small and they couldn't sleep on them anymore. The beds had become covered in blood from the recovery of the operation.

"This is the straw that broke the camel's back." Shuku sneered.

"We're breaking out?" Ashley whispered.

"Yes, and we are going to do it tonight," Shuku glanced out the window "the moon is full. Our powers will be at their strongest."

"Where should we begin?"

"We will start with the very same window that mocked our freedom." Shuku slipped on a sadistic smile. She was on the brink of insanity. She held out her hand and began to summon her hidden abilities never exposed to give her a trump card when the day for escape was to come. Ashley joined in the summons, preaching Shuku's summon spell.

"O Leviathan, I summon you. Fulfill your obligation to me and appear before this spiritual offering! Incrementum Aqua Deus!" They recited together. The room filled with a holy blue light. A large dragon crafted of water emerged from Shuku's hand. It kept flowing and flowing into the room. Shuku directed her anger at the icy stone wall. Leviathan tore through as if it were paper. The bricks went flying every where putting a breeze into the foul smelling cell. Ashley looked over the edge and they had their work cut out for them. They were on a small island and eight stories above the ground. Their first task would have to be getting out of the cell and down the castle-like structures walls _without_ their wings. Shuku closed her eyes to hide her powers once again, but suddenly an alarm went off and announcements were made.

"There has been a breach in the rear wall from cell 13! All personnel report to that area immediately! Subjects pose an extreme threat! I repeat…" A feminine voice declared.

"We've gotta jet!" Ashley said grabbing Shuku. "Do you think we can catch a ride on Leviathan?"

"No. I can't control him that well, but I can try and ease us to the ground with Leviathan's water cannon." Shuku said looking over the edge.

"We don't have anything to lose now! I'll take the risk…" Ashley said wrapping an arm around to her scars.

"Right!" Shuku responded and pointed her hand at the ground. "Water Cannon!" She invoked. A gust of beautiful water rushed out of her hand. Ashley jumped into the gust riding it down. She struck many dead tree branches, ripping her gown and causing her to lose her balance. Ashley landed on the ground a little damaged. She stood up and called for Shuku. "Leviathan, protect me." Shuku prayed. She took a leap of faith trying to maneuver her hand to use the bed of water to break her fall. Ashley caught Shuku by the hips to keep her from being rushed away in a raging river of water.

Orderlies dressed in white looked over the edge from where the two had jumped. Shuku and Ashley waved and turned around slapping their backside, daring them to try and pursue. They smiled at one another as if they were reborn again from the excitement. Ashley and Shuku rushed off into the Dead Forest with only the moon to guide them.

Ashley and Shuku made it to the sandy beach. The sand felt good between their bare feet. They had been running on rocks and twigs for at least half an hour. When Shuku looked down she could see the blood coming out of both of their feet.

"The salt water is going to hurt our feet." Shuku noted. Ashley shrugged.

"This freedom is worth it." Ashley sighed out. "Why us?" The ground shook with no mercy. THA-THUMP! THA-THUMP! A heavy instrument was drawing near. Shuku looked over her shoulder with wide eyes. Her delicate mouth slowly dropped.

"BERSERKER! Run for it! They sent a Berserker!" Shuku shouted.

It was a strange looking white beast called a 'Nobody' with a large anchor as a weapon. When provoked it would drop the anchor on a victim over and over. Sometimes it caused unconsciousness, but that was if one was lucky. Most times it inflicted death.

The girls darted to the water, an element in which Shuku thrived but for Ashley she did not. Shuku assisted Ashley into the open water. Ashley doggy paddled to the fullest as the dark place that imprisoned them became a speck in the distance.

"Shuku… Shuku…" Ashley was starting to drift "I'm getting a cramp…"

"Shut up, don't tire now!" Shuku scolded.

"I'm sleepy." She said with a yawn. Ashley swallowed up some water with the yawn. She coughed.

"We're close to land, I promise. I can feel the void in the water."

"I feel so sick, this water and cold temperature is getting to me, Shuku." Ashley strained.

"I promise, we're close." Shuku started to turn back to Ashley, but her powers were going out of control due to the fatigue. The water around Ashley started to boil keeping Shuku a distance away. The final symptom would be her bursting into flames that did not consume her body but kept burning in the water. She started to sink. "What are you doing?" Shuku said trying to swim over to her but the flames were too intense. Ashley's serious fatigue seemed to amplify her dormant powers.

"Some things… Got my leg." Ashley said as a tidal wave started to crest over her head. Shuku stop treading water to push back the wave with her own abilities. Since Shuku was out of practice she wasn't able to control it. The wave collapsed over Ashley, extinguishing her flame, but silencing her. Shuku's eyes became saucers as she came to her senses.

"The energy void in the water wasn't land—it was a tidal…." The white cap waves smashed against Shuku sending her away. Shuku was knocked unconscious and separated from Ashley…


	2. Chapter One Fever

**Kingdom Hearts II The Untold Chronicles**

**Chapter One – Fever**

"Hurry up Tidus!" Sora shouted. A boy dressed in black, navy, red, and yellow attire. His ocean blue eyes complimented his brown, high-lighted hair.

"Sorry, I skipped lunch!" Tidus chuckled. Also a boy, dressed in white top and a pair of jean knee high shorts. He also had blue eyes with beautiful sandy blond hair. The commotion was on the other side of the island.

The island was called Destiny Island. All the teens called it, 'Destiny Isle' for short. It was surrounded with tall palm trees and had only one mountain range. It was a small island, but it accommodated the people living there. There was no room for any outsiders.

Riku paced back and forth on the only dock on the island. Riku wore a white and yellow sleeveless over coat with a black shirt exposed. He had silver-purplish hair and aqua blue eyes. It seemed most of the time his face was captured in a permanent frown—as opposed to Sora who was never caught frowning. Riku's love interest, Kairi, sat on the dock with her feet in the water.

"Well Hallows Eve is tomorrow! How are we going to get Selphie, Wakka and Tidus for getting me?" Riku questioned Kairi. Kairi pinned her lose red hair behind her ear.

"You always want revenge, don't you, Riku?" Kairi asked.

"Come now! They put syrup and honey in my hair!"

"I also put honey in my hair and look at it!" Kairi said shaking her locks as they flew in the wind. Her hair appeared soft and tamed.

"It dried!" Riku whined.

"I think it helped your hair!" Sora appeared with Tidus. Riku and Kairi glared at Tidus. Tidus gave an innocent smile.

"Howdy…" Tidus started.

"Don't you howdy me!" Kairi said, giving the cold shoulder. "You put ketchup and mustard on me last night!"

"It's all in good fun!"

"Whatever, I'd watch my back if I were you, _pretty boy_." Riku threatened. "I'll be on my way." Riku walked away from the dock, but not before exchanging a glance with Sora. The glance communicated Riku's shiftiness. Kairi waited until Riku was out of sight before locking eyes with Sora, _her_ love interest.

"He's crazy!" Kairi said to Sora. He shrugged.

"Well I suppose. I'm tired and I'm going back home. I'd thought this be quite juicy." Sora headed back.

"See ya tomorrow!" Kairi called out to him. Tidus looked to Kairi with a twisted smile.

"I'll be seeing you, too, Kairi. Maybe, again—tonight." Tidus mocked while departing as well.

Kairi got the chills up her spine…

It was night fall. Sora sat on the dock by himself. He placed his thumb nail into his mouth giving it a little bite. He was deep in thought. Sora was perplexed by the existence of other worlds. Ever since he had gotten back from battling the evils of Kingdom Hearts, Sora hadn't traveled, or even visited the different worlds. Sora yearned to go visit his friends, Goofy and Donald, and to see how King Mickey was doing. Sora was unaware that a piece of 'drift wood' would answer his prayers—to give him some flavor and variety to his now boring life.

His eyes glanced over the open water. The reflection of the full moon on the water was being blocked by something. Sora glared. Sora grabbed the closest rock to him. It wasn't quiet a pebble but not the size of his fist, either. Sora chucked it at the log that was ruining his peaceful scenery.

"Stupid drift wood!" Sora cursed. The rock connected and the drift wood moaned in pain. Sora covered his mouth and stooped down like a gun went off. His eyes darted back and forth. Sora slithered off the dock and into the sand. He gulped once and pushed through the tide.

Sora's eyes couldn't believe what they were seeing. It was a girl in distress. She was face down in the water with her auburn hair reflecting the moon's light. "Hey!" Sora cried out. "You okay?" She turned over with the speed of a turtle.

"My… My head…" The girl murmured. Sora covered his eyes to be polite. The girl was so dazed she didn't realize her gown was lost-at-sea. She was stark naked. She turned her head in the water as the tide was bringing her in to the beach. Sora looked into her eyes and his heart skipped a beat. A girl band was playing music in his head singing things like, "Love me deeper, love me more, I only love you." Sora looked up to the sky, giving thanks to some kind of deity.

"You love me after all." Sora whispered, moving to the maiden. Sora reached for one of her arms to pull her to shore. The arm he grabbed happened to have an arm band on it. Sora read it to himself. "Shuku… What a pretty name." She blushed lightly.

"T-Thank you." Shuku stammered. Sora watched her petite mouth form the words, then, his eyes started to lower… She smacked him with what strength she had left.

"S-Sorry!" Sora said catching Shuku's contagious stammer. Shuku turned onto her belly and doggy paddled while Sora walked beside her. "My name is Sora." He tried to be suave.

"I really need some where to crash. Can I crash with you?" Shuku requested with her tiny voice.

"Of course! I'm here to help." Sora smiled down to Shuku. She paid him no mind. Sora's smile faded.

"Ah!" Shuku moaned in pain. "I need—I need shelter." Shuku stood up in the shallows. Sora got an eye full and looked down at the water like a gentlemen, but Shuku had a very attractive reflection. Sora's nose turned red and a drip of blood fell into the water. "I'm becoming sick. I haven't been outside in a while. I'm not immune to the bacteria in this water." Sora was pleased that she was beautiful and smart. Shuku took a shaky step. She lost her footing but Sora's strong arms were there to catch her.

"Calm down. Don't worry so much, you'll get wrinkles." Sora said with a big smile. Shuku felt comforted.

"I'll try my best." Shuku said walking with a hop.

"Let's get you taken care of." Sora insisted. Shuku's heart seemed to open up with joy. Sora was so warm and gentle. Shuku didn't believe in love at first sight, but there were no rules against love at first stark naked rescue.

"Excuse me," Riku stared. "Where are your clothes?" She was embarrassed as she hid behind a palm tree leaf.

"P-please don't hurt me." Ashley pleaded. Riku gave a slight chuckle.

"Heh, I won't hurt you if you do what I say." Ashley quivered in fear. She gave a cough, her sickness already setting in. "I'm only joking—sort of." He smiled. Riku had already dealt damage to the fragile minded girl. "Look, I'm sorry." He tried to make even with her. "I've never seen a real black person up close… And naked."

"Don't poke fun at me." Ashley said.

"I'll poke you alright, but not with fun." Riku joked. He was having fun getting her goat. Ashley fell to her knees with labored breaths.

"I'm gonna die… I'm gonna die…" She repeated. Ashley's rate of morbid behavior alarmed Riku.

"You're not gonna die." Riku reassured. Ashley fainted. Riku caught her in his arms and it was all dead weight. She was really unconscious. Riku scoped her up quickly using the palm tree leaf to cover her. "Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!" Riku panicked. "She's gonna die! She's gonna die!" Riku rushed Ashley away to his home. He had to sneak her into his house because Riku was forbidden to take late night walks. The last time he took a late night walk; he sold himself to the Heartless for power and posed as a medium to bring the Heartless to Destiny Island.

Ashley sat on his bed, slightly conscious. She was looking out of his window. Riku noticed two scars on her back—where her shoulder blades met. They were long dark brown slits that look like a clever went to her skin. Riku looked away because his eyes were going to her butt.

Riku reached into his closet pulling out a long sleeved white collared shirt he'd didn't wear often. He slipped it on her buttoning it up from the top down. He told himself not to stare at her anatomy. Riku made himself swear he wouldn't. Riku laid Ashley out on his bed. He adjusted her legs, putting them together. Riku turned his room light off to avoid suspicion. Riku looked at the girl he rushed to his house. He placed his back against one of the walls in his room. He didn't know what he had been thinking. Riku should have left her for dead, but something told him not to. He walked over to her and placed his hand on her thigh. He touched her damp flesh. It must've awakened her.

"My name is Ashley. What's yours, stranger?"

"Riku. Nice to meet you." He said holding out his hand for a hand shake. Ashley reached her hand up only to rest her finger tips in his palm. Riku's heart melted. "I don't have many friends on this island, would you like to be mine?" Riku screamed at himself for being such a dork.

"I know I was timid when you saw me, but you're pretty cute up close."

"Thanks." Riku smirked. Cute, he had been waiting for Kairi to call him that. There was a new girl in Riku's heart. "Are you warm enough?"

"I'm chilled to the bone." Ashley said starting to go under Riku's blankets. Riku tucked her in. He sat at the edge of the bed watching Ashley watch him.

"Are you warm enough, now?" Riku asked frivolously. This was out of character for Riku. He felt he had a fresh start since Ashley didn't know about his past or would judge him for it. Riku could be wild and still feel good.

"…Are you looking for a specific answer?" Ashley asked with raised eyebrows.

"No." Riku responded taking off his overcoat and removing his pants. He crawled under the blankets with his black sleeveless shirt and black boxers. Riku cuddled up to Ashley, wrapping his arms around her. "Are you warm enough, _now_?" Riku whispered into her ear.

"Yes." She said closing her eyes, drifting into sleep. Riku couldn't believe he was being a ladies man. Yet, Riku caught himself thinking about Kairi and her smile.

"Kairi…" He sighed out before going to sleep.

Riku and Sora both woke up to an ear full. Riku's mother began cursing at him, screaming about they didn't have the funds to take care of an outsider. She also chewed him out about sleeping in the same bed with a girl he hardly knew. Riku's mother scolded him and reminded him how Riku doesn't know where people have been.

Sora on the other hand, got a mild scolding. Sora's mother gave him a few harsh words but became concerned with Shuku's health.

"Now Sora," His mother started in a motherly tone "We don't have enough food to take care of some one from another world."

"But she asked for my help. I kinda gave her my word…" Sora made puppy eyes. His mother crossed her powerful arms.

"I'm not gonna fall for it."

"Mom…" Sora bat his lashes at her. She caved in.

"Oh alright, alright already!" Sora gave his mother a big hug. "But she is very sick. You're going to take care of her because she is your responsibility!"

"You're making this sound like my pet bird…" Sora rolled his eyes.

"Yes, and it died. And I'm reminding you again, so that you don't kill her." Sora's mother put fingers to her chin, pondering. "You know, I should make her something to wear… Since she didn't come with clothes and what not."

"Thanks a lot, mom." Sora smiled.

"Yeah yeah…" She shut Sora's door. Sora turned his attention to Shuku who was sweating up a storm.

"It's so hot, Sora." She mumbled.

"I know, I'm sorry, but you have to sweat it out." He told her, tucking her in tighter.

"It's just a cold." Shuku try to turn the worry down a notch. "I was worried over nothing and you are, too!"

"You're _my_ responsibility and _I_ have to take care of you."

"Don't feed me that!"

"How about I feed you soup?" Sora gave a gentle stare.

"Sounds good." Shuku returned the stare. Sora got up and went to his kitchen to prepare something for Shuku to eat. Sora sighed to himself. He went to his kitchen sink to look out the window. He saw children and teenagers dressed down for Halloween as ghosts, the Pumpkin King—Jack Skeleton, witches, and warlocks. There would be no candy for Sora this year because he would be tending to Shuku. Sora closed his eyes tightly to shake it off. Sora still believed that it was a worth sacrifice for a girl so beautiful. Kairi knocked at the door frame leaning her head in. She was dressed as a witch. The outfit was a little on the whore side of the street.

"Sora, it's almost sundown. Aren't you coming out to go Trick or Treating with me?" Kairi asked. She sounded pre-shot down. Kairi expected the rejection.

"Sorry, can't." Sora said dazed. He started boiling the soup his mother left out for him to reheat.

"Can I ask why not?" Kairi posed walking into Sora's home with a seductive saunter.

"I'm taking care of my new friend." Sora blew her off.

"I knew it! Your mom and Riku's mom has been running around town shooting her mouth off about how you went fishing and caught a dame!" Kairi pointed with jealousy.

"Wait—" Sora interrupted her. "Riku's mom?"

"Yeah, didn't you hear? Riku's got a black girl at his house." Kairi turned for the door. "I hear she's pretty special. She's been performing tricks in the town square for the children since noon."

"…I think I will go Trick or Treating with you, Kairi." Sora was curious. Tricks, what kind of tricks could this girl perform?

Sora and Kairi walked hand in hand to the town square. Sora was dressed in his Halloween Town costume he acquired during his last journey to worlds. Kairi looked to him with gentle eyes. Sora looked back with a blank stare. He was starting to lose his feelings for Kairi since Shuku arrived. Sora didn't know if Shuku was casting a spell on him with her grey steel eyes, but he knew he liked it.

The town square was lit up with plastic jack-o-lanterns hanging high above everyone. The town square had a freshwater fountain for people to collect their water. Its source was from the small mountain range on the island.

Kairi was telling the truth. Riku stood in the shadows, dressed as himself, in Heartless attire. Sora was alarmed by Riku's appearance but it _was_ Halloween. The girl that Kairi was telling Sora about was located in front of the fountain on a small stage.

Ashley was bond tightly in a black vinyl halter top witch dress. Ashley had black belts from her hips down to her feet, only in the front. She had black gloves that went up to her biceps. Her witch hat came to a point in the front. Ashley was given a purple staff with a pentagram crowing the staff. The children in their costumes sat before the stage. They were captivated by awe.

"Behold! The power of fire!" Ashley said swinging the staff around gracefully. She ignited a circle of flames around her. "Your fires are hot, but _my_ fires are cold." Ashley stepped through the flames and they died down. She sat at the edge of the stage. Holding her hand out to the children, Ashley crafted a rose composed of fire. The children awed. Ashley put it behind her ear with a smile. She struck poses. "I think it compliments my figure." The flower faded away. "Now it's time for everyone to go Trick or Treating. Even me!" Ashley started another fire on the stage causing a blizzard of smoke. She disappeared in the blink of an eye. The children were amazed and even cheered. They picked up their buckets and pillow sacks. The children made their way to houses laughing and talking about the other tricks she performed throughout the day.

"Wow." Sora said to himself. Kairi was becoming jealous again. She made a face.

"She wasn't that great…" Kairi tried to persuade. Ashley stepped out of the shadows to greet Kairi.

"Hello, again." It had seemed that Ashley and Kairi were already introduced. Sora felt left out.

"Hello." Kairi said. Sora stuck his hand out with his fangs hanging over his lips.

"Hi! My name is Sora! Nice to meet you!"

"H-Hello, my name is A—Ah!" Riku snatched up Ashley's arm turning her away from Sora. Riku's grip was painful. Riku pulled her towards his home with a fire in his eyes.

"Riku, you're hurting me…" Ashley cowered.

"Don't you EVER talk to that guy!" Riku scolded with the might of Zeus.

"I-I-I-I…" Ashley was shaken up.

"Go back to my house! My mother is waiting for you." Riku said cold as ice. Riku gave her a push like shoving off a boat to sea. He turned back around to Sora.

"When did you find her?" Sora asked.

"Last night. I'm assuming that you found your "Shuku" around the same time." Riku said in a monotone fashion.

"Yeah, do you think they know each other?"

"Yes. They probably do." Riku looked at Kairi. They both exchanged warm smiles. Sora didn't notice.

"What's your friend's name?" Sora asked. Riku huffed with agitation.

"If you _must_ know, her name is Ashley."

"Riku, you going home?" Kairi asked. He nodded. "Can I come with?" Riku nodded again. Kairi turned to Sora. "See ya."

"Yeah… Bye..." Sora said in a form of a question as Kairi wasted no time leaving arm in arm with Riku. Sora shrugged. It was okay that Kairi was interested in Riku again. Sora had his mind on Shuku even when he was with Kairi. Kairi was a wonderful childhood friend; however, Sora was growing up and he knew what he wanted. And what Sora wanted—wasn't Kairi.


	3. Chapter Two Chance

**Kingdom Hearts II The Untold Chronicles**

**Chapter Two – Chance**

It was the morning after and Shuku felt great. She stretched her arms over her head and sighed out. Shuku had allowed Sora to go and be with his friends. Shuku had some soup for dinner and bundled up.

Shuku turned her head to the window because the sun was shining in. Shuku felt bad for taking Sora's room, but he offered it to her. Shuku climbed out of bed in a pair of pajamas that Sora's mom donated to her. Shuku began to brush her long hair. It was a task to handle because she couldn't reach some parts. Shuku ran her fingers in her hair. There was an empty feeling in her heart. It felt some one was supposed to be brushing her hair. Shuku couldn't remember. She only remembered Sora, the kind face that pulled her from the water. Shuku's eyes connected with the mirror and she was over whelmed. Images of dark, wet places crept into her mind. She heard a saw grinding against bones. She dropped the brush, staring into the mirror.

Mirrors were known for their theoretical spiritual power, something Shuku was full of but had not acknowledged it. Shuku's reflection in the mirror pulsed. The mirror's glass turned into water. Shuku leaned forward putting her finger tips in the water. It didn't harm her so she stuck her head in. Soon, she found herself swallowed up whole by the mirror. It was a subtle blue. Shuku could see a serpent like creature floating towards her.

"Leviathan…" The words came to Shuku's mouth. She remembered her powers. Shuku remembered her gift.

"Shuku! Shuku!" A voice cried. She recognized it.

"Sora…?"

Shuku was immediately spat out of the mirror and onto Sora's wooden floor. She was soaking wet. Sora knelt down to Shuku, shaking her.

"Shuku, thank goodness! I thought you left!" Sora said.

"I have a gift… I think it just grew…" Shuku touched her wet hair.

"What are you talking about?" Sora was confused. Shuku stormed out of Sora's house, but he followed her. Shuku rushed to the beach with her arms loosely at her side. "Shuku, what are you doing…?"

"O Leviathan, I summon you. Fulfill your obligation to me and appear before this spiritual offering! Incrementum Aqua Deus!" Shuku recited, lifting her arm. The sea water shot up into the air, touching the clouds. The cylinder of water started to spin sending wind everywhere. Shuku's wet locks flowed backward. She felt something was missing. Shuku had created a cyclone.

People in the town started to look out their windows because the tower of water was very noticeable. Sora's mother noticed that Shuku and her son was AWOL. She knew Sora would be at the root of the cyclone.

"Shuku, be careful!" Sora warned. Shuku was in another place mentally. The cyclone started making its way towards the island. Sora grabbed Shuku's shoulders.

"SHUKU!" He cried out again. The tower of water dropped instantly. Shuku lowered her arm. Sora sighed. "That was close!" Shuku was unconcerned with the well being of the island. She stared at her hand.

"Something is different. Could this be the next level of my gift…? Watera?" Shuku whispered.

"…You're a mage?"

"Something like that… I'm not sure." Shuku turned to walk back to Sora's house.

"Either way, we need to get you into some dry clothes!" Sora became cheerful as usual. Shuku smiled at him.

"I hope you had fun scaring the crap out of everyone, Sora." His mother mocked at the door. Sora stepped in with a hand behind his head.

"Sorry, mom."

"Well, try and keep that kind of thing under control!"

"Yo moms! Do you have anything that Shuku can wear? She's kinda wet." Sora broke the news. His mother scowled.

"You went off and got the poor girl all wet with your stupid conjuring!" His mother yelled. "What did she ever do to you?" Sora's mother pounced and grabbed Shuku by the shoulders leading her into the master bedroom.

"But…!" Sora tried to clear his name.

"The only but in this conversation is a sore one! So zip it, Sora!" His mother threatened with a smirk. She slammed her bedroom door.

"Oh well." Sora sat at the kitchen table to wait.

Sora's mother reached into her closet. Shuku sat on Sora's mother's bed. She insisted that Shuku sit there despite her wet behind.

"I finished making your outfit sometime in the evening on Halloween. I hope you'll take to it." She smiled to Shuku.

"Thank you very much." Shuku took the outfit.

"I'll leave you alone so that you can change in peace. And by the way don't let that Sora bully you. He bullies all the girls he likes." His mother revealed. Shuku blushed.

"I won't." Shuku placed the blame on Sora. Those two words kept his mother believing that Sora dunked Shuku in the cyclone. His mother parted the room, leaving Shuku by herself. "My… This is beautiful!"

Shuku emerged in a black sleeveless dress with pink lacy trim. The dress flared out at her hips and stopped at her thigh. At her hips were hand full pink belts. Sora's mother accessorized Shuku with black shoulder gauntlets that flared out at her hands, also with lacy pink trim. It gave a Lolita feeling.

"Cool." Sora said calmly.

"Do you like it?" Shuku blushed.

"Yes. I like it a lot." He turned cherry red. Sora's mother waltz by with a knowing smile.

Sora sat on the dock by himself after dinner. Shuku and his mother were busy talking. His mother was trying to help Shuku recap about her past. Shuku was unaware from where she had come from. He bit his nail in a nervous habit.

He suddenly heard distant crying. Sora jumped from the side of the dock into the sand. Sora followed the sound of crying and it lead him to the cave were Kairi, Riku, and himself played when they were younger. Riku's friend, Ashley was sitting on the ground with her face tucked into her knees.

"Hey, Ashley, you okay?" Sora asked.

"I-I'm not supposed to be talking to you." She didn't raise her head.

"Why not?" Sora asked, plopping next to her.

"Riku told me not to." Sora winced. Sora thought Riku was over this—mental complex.

"How about we start with, why you're crying." Sora moved his face close to her buried one.

"Well," Ashley began, lifting her head. A tear was falling from her eye when she did so. Ashley's distant power took flight. She had a gift to make memories come alive and peak into the weak-minded people to see the past. It was a power still trying to grow but, left on the back burner for her fire abilities…

"I went home like Riku told me…" The night became reality for Sora. He looked over his shoulders. "I waited in his room for him to return. But he didn't." Ashley stood in a room by herself with no lights. Sora raised his hand to comfort her. His hand went through her body as she walked past him. "There was a bang. I went out of the room to see and I…" The reality distorted. Ashley and Sora were back in front of the cave.

"What happened? You can trust me…" Sora put his hand over Ashley's.

"Riku and Kairi were kissing—in the living room."

"Wow. I saw that coming."

"…You knew…?" The anger in Ashley's voice started to form at Sora.

"No! It's just that Riku has liked Kairi for a long time and since I didn't have any interest in Kairi, she probably took a chance with Riku." The air around Sora became hot. Ashley was depressed and angry. Her feelings were reaching a climax that her powers would mimic. Ashley burst into flames that didn't consume her. Sora had to move away because the flames were so intense.

"Please leave…" Ashley said quietly to Sora.

"Come with me!" Sora shouted over the blaze.

"Sora… Thank you, at least some one cares." Ashley turned her back to Sora putting her face into her knees.

Four days had past and Sora went to see Ashley every night at the cave. She sat unmoving with the fire around her never dying. He left her food to eat, but when he came back the next time, it was still there. Sora confronted Riku, bring Shuku along.

Sora pounded at Riku's door. Riku answered half dressed.

"What is it, Sora?"

"Don't 'What is it, Sora?' me! Do you even know where Ashley is?"

"No. I don't care." Riku said shutting the door. Shuku stuck her foot in the door to prevent him from closing it. Shuku felt the energy that Sora was giving. Shuku knew what to do.

"Sora really wants to talk to you." Shuku said. Riku stared her down.

"You must be Shuku. Why don't you go talk to Ashley?" Riku suggested.

"I don't know who that is." Shuku said. "Just talk to Sora first, and then we'll talk to this Ashley."

"You don't know an Ashley?" Sora asked Shuku. She shook her head. "I really think they know each other. They have similar power traits and they showed up at the same time. Shuku is suffering from some type of trauma-induced amnesia."

"Ashley is as well." Riku responded.

"Riku, Ashley is at the cave." Sora told him.

"I told you, I don't care." Riku said through the crack of the door. Shuku grunted and kicked Riku's door open. Riku's answer offended Shuku more than it did Sora.

"Sora cares. You should, too!" Shuku reprimanded Riku. Riku was not pleased.

"Look, it was fun taking care of her for a while but I don't have the time." Riku said.

"You and Kairi really hurt her." Sora reminded. Riku looked away.

"So what?" He was cold. Sora winced at his behavior. It was indeed Riku to be so selfish. "She had nothing to do with my feelings."

"You know," Sora shook his head in disbelief "Ashley really liked you."

"She liked me because I gave her some where to stay! She didn't like _me_." Riku reasoned. Sora turned his back.

"Whatever, Riku." Sora scoffed, leaving.

"Whatever, Riku." Shuku said too, following behind Sora. Riku slammed his door as soon as Shuku set foot outside. "What a prick."

"I'm disappointed at Riku. I would have taken an opportunity like that and started over." Sora sighed.

"Why would Riku need to start over?" Shuku asked innocently.

"Riku has done some bad things, Shuku. Things that people still haven't forgiven him for." Sora started walking towards the beach. "Come on! I'll try and introduce you to—whoa!" The air became unbearably hot.

The enraged Ashley appeared over the horizon. Her clothes she borrowed from Riku were in shambles. Ashley was barely dressed, but in her eyes Sora could tell it didn't matter. With every step she took the heat intensified. Shuku slanted her head like a puppy.

"Riku!" Ashley cried in a booming voice. "Riku!" She wailed again.

"What's that girl doing?" Shuku asked Sora.

"Something desperate." Sora said. A fire ball streaked across the sky. It curved and scorched the plants in the town square. Immediately, people shut their curtains and watched quietly.

"Riku!" Ashley cried. Kairi came trotting down a hill and into the square.

"Sora, what's going on?" Kairi asked. Sora squeaked.

"Kairi get the hell out of here! Ashley is going to burn you to a crisp!"

"She's gonna what?" Kairi said confused. It was too late. Ashley locked on to Kairi.

"You!" Ashley hissed. Ashley gathered a large ball of fire in her hands. "You! I thought you were my friend!"

"I don't know what's she's talking about!" Kairi denied. Ashley kept gathering power.

"I told you that I adored Riku! I told you that evening! You betrayed me! You said you liked Sora, Kairi! That I had nothing to worry about! Nothing!" Ashley was boiling over. The ball of flames was massive. Kairi was stunned with fear. Ashley unleashed her merciless rage. The ball flew past Sora. The edges of his hair burned.

"Kairi, move!" Sora called out.

The ball was deflected into the sky. Riku stepped in front of Kairi. He smacked it away equipped with an Aqua Glove. Riku's glove went up in smoke. Ashley hesitated.

"How about you pick on some one your own size?" Riku taunted.

"Riku! That isn't what she needs right now!" Sora shouted.

Shuku felt something pulse in her chest. Something was telling her to go towards Ashley. Shuku took a step forward and then began walking towards Ashley. Ashley took a step backwards.

"S-Stay away!" Ashley warned. Sora gasped.

"Shuku, get back here! You don't know what you're dealing with!" Sora shouted.

"I guess it's a shame your little girl friend will get roasted." Riku said apathetically. Shuku held her hands out, surrounding her hands with a Watera spell. Ashley let Shuku approach.

"You must be good if you're with Sora, but I can't allow you to keep me from my goal." Ashley said once Shuku was in the flames.

"It's okay." Shuku said gently placing her hands on Ashley's cheeks. Shuku had successfully entered Ashley's flames with her Watera spell. "It's okay." She said again. Then, Shuku let the water surge through out Ashley's being, extinguishing her flames. Ashley cried out for mercy, the water like acid to her flesh. Shuku didn't let go as she covered Ashley in water. Their eyes connected as Ashley screamed. Like a flash flood, their memories of each other were restored. There were fragments still missing, but this was a start for them. Ashley closed her eyes and her power died down. Shuku let go of Ashley's cheeks and she fell to the ground, smoking.

Shuku waved for Sora to come over to Ashley.

"You were amazing, Shuku!" Sora congratulated.

"I remember, Sora. Ashley's tortured eyes help me remember. And yes, I do know her. Ashley and I go way back." Shuku said that and glared at Riku. Shuku stormed up to Riku.

"What now?" Riku huffed.

"You should be ashamed. I should have let Ashley toast your ass. You're a heartless bastard." Shuku spat into his face and it landed on his nose. Riku lunged at her to knock her lights out, but her energy stopped him. He felt a sudden surge of energy as she turned away. Riku didn't know what it was. Shuku knew it was her summon, Leviathan, protecting her.

Sora and Shuku picked up Ashley and moved her to Sora's house.

Riku looked at Kairi with cold eyes.

"You tricked her." Riku said. He had heard Ashley screaming at Kairi.

"I didn't trick her." Kairi lied.

"Kairi, you of all people, shouldn't like to play games." Riku finalized the conversation. Riku went inside of his house and examined his hand. Ashley had done a bit of damage to his hand. Even though his hand was wounded, Riku punched a wall in his home—driving his fist through it. "She won't forgive me now…"


	4. Chapter Three The Darkness

**Kingdom Hearts II The Untold Chronicles**

**Chapter Three – The Darkness**

"You don't have to worry now." Shuku said. "Sora, Tidus, and I will take good care of you now. You don't have to take Riku's crap anymore." Ashley didn't respond as she sat in a chair at the kitchen table. Tidus poked at Ashley to be funny. Tidus burned himself on her shoulder.

"Yeowch!" Tidus put his finger in his mouth. Shuku smiled.

"I'm sorry. Ashley doesn't have people skills." Shuku said.

"They've gotten worse since Kairi apparently tricked her." Sora said crossing his arms. It was only five minutes ago that Ashley had open fire on Kairi in the town square.

"Why would Kairi trick _anyone_?" Tidus asked. Sora shook his head.

"Couldn't tell you."

"She toyed with Ashley and that is bad enough for me." Shuku said. "Kairi is no friend of mine, or Ashley's." Shuku put her hand on Ashley's flesh and wasn't burned like Tidus. "Let's get you something to wear."

Ashley wore a baby blue halter top with a black mini skirt. The outfit was simple and plain, but it was the best Shuku could do with Sora's mother's closet. Shuku even tied a baby blue scarf in Ashley's hair into a bow and gave her one ear ring to wear in her left ear. It was a large loop. Ashley looked like a pirate's scallywag. Sora and Tidus giggled at Shuku's fashion sense. Ashley sat down in her chair and laced up her knee high combat boots. Sora didn't know his mom had any.

"You look nice." Tidus complemented. Ashley glared like Tidus killed Bambi's father. Tidus coughed.

"You shouldn't bother." Shuku said, putting on a pair of zip up boots. They were knee high as well. "Ashley is really hurt."

"Well, we should go look for our moms." Sora said. Tidus nodded.

"What?" Shuku asked.

"Yeah, they've been missing since this morning." Tidus informed.

"I see." Shuku said. "Come on, Ashley, let's go." Ashley stood up following Shuku out of Sora's home.

Tidus, Sora, Shuku, and Ashley looked everywhere for the adults on the island. There were none to be found.

"This is impossible! People were here! I know I saw people shut their curtains for the fight in the square." Sora said. The group wandered into the town square to think.

"Where could have everyone gone?" Tidus questioned.

The sky turned pitch black with out warning. Sora put his hand over his eyes to stare about.

"That's weird. We have another two hours before complete sundown." Sora said.

"Sora!" Shuku cried out. A black shadow had moved under Shuku and began to swallow her. This scene was too familiar to Sora. Heartless. Sora reached for Shuku.

"Shuku, take my hand!" Sora instructed. Tidus also held out his hand to Shuku.

"We've got you!" Tidus smiled. During the commotion, Ashley was already being swallowed up by a Heartless portal. She stared on helplessly. Shuku saw Ashley from the corner of her eye going under like the Titanic.

"No! We've just got to see each other! We finally remembered each other!" Shuku shouted. "Sora, save her!"

"I can't!" Sora said looking down. Sora had become stuck in a shadow portal. Shuku cursed as Tidus held onto her hand.

"Don't worry, I've got you!" Tidus reassured.

"Ashley," Shuku said, getting her attention "don't let the darkness take you… I mean it! I foresaw darkness in your life!" Ashley gave a solemn nod as she faded away. "Damn it!" Shuku moaned as things went black…

"Hahahahah…" A voice laughed as Shuku fell into the void.

"Oh my head…" Shuku said. She sat up and the aroma of flowers filled her nose. Shuku was in a field. "W-Where am I?" She said. Shuku was going to get up, but her hand fell into something wet. "The hell…?" She looked at her hand. Shuku's hand had blood on it. Was it hers? Shuku panicked. "I'm dying?"

The blood wasn't hers. Shuku looked down and saw Tidus' mangled body. A Heartless must've gotten to him on the fall to a different world. Shuku had never seen blood that didn't belong to her. "Tidus, get up!" Shuku shook his shoulder. Tidus didn't respond. He was dead.

Shuku tried to blink away her tears, but they kept coming. Large spheres of salty water rolled down her cheeks. Shuku was feeling Sora's feelings. She knew if she told Sora what had happened that he'd cry as well. Shuku didn't want Sora to be sad and she wanted Tidus to live. She felt Tidus was a good person. And he didn't deserve something like this because Riku—or anyone—sold out Destiny Island, again.

She wrapped her arms around Tidus' head, cradling his body in her lap. Shuku rocked back and forth slowly. "Live…" She said to his corpse. Shuku gritted her teeth as the unthinkable happened. Shuku screamed in pain as gorgeous white wings exploded from her back, ripping the flesh from the scars. The wings were three times the size of the original ones she had before they were 'clipped'. They dripped with fresh blood. They curled around Tidus' body as Shuku prayed to any deity that could hear her, to bring her friend back to life. There was a surge of white light and it faded.

The final tear fell from Shuku's face. It landed on Tidus' cheek as her wings folded tighter. The blood from Tidus' body started to move. It traveled in a backwards motion, going back into Tidus' body. Shuku had tampered with nature and it felt great. Tidus opened his blue eyes and saw the angel that brought him back to life.

"I'm… Alive…?" Tidus asked.

"Yes, you are." Shuku said with a smile.

"You brought me back? No, wait. You're an _angel_?" Tidus was confused but grateful. She shook her head.

"I don't really know what I am. But you have me mistaken with Biblical creatures." Shuku said. Tidus sat up with a hand on his stomach.

"Where is Sora?"

"I think we got separated."

"That's alright. Sora has prepared us if the Heartless were to come back. Sora told us to head to the west." Tidus pointed. He looked for the sunlight. "We have to set up camp."

"Why?" Shuku asked.

"We have to monitor the sun and it's movements to determine our compass. By then, it'll be sundown and it'll be safer to camp out than to move at night. Once we familiarize ourselves with the area, we can move at night." Tidus said.

"We don't have anything to camp with." Shuku said. "Besides we have to move. We need to find a body of water so we don't become dehydrated."

"You're right. Let's just pick a direction."

"No, that's alright. I have an idea." Shuku smiled.

Shuku flapped her massive wings, carrying Tidus by his under-elbows.

"So what's the plan?" Tidus yelled to her over the wind.

"It's a gamble but… Most rivers flow north to south. I can sense bodies of water with my powers. If I find a river, we can see which way it flows and predict west!" Shuku sounded like a rocket scientist to Tidus. He was pleased. Tidus was really starting to like Shuku. She saved his life and would do so a second time with her smarts.

"Is he alive?" A familiar voice hung over Sora's head.

"Wha…" Sora was out of it.

"Sora, wake up." A gentle female voice said to him. Sora cracked his eyes letting the bright light in. Yuffie, Aerith, and Tifa loomed over Sora's head. Sora sat up and checked himself for missing items. Yuffie pouted.

"You'd think you'd give me a little more credit than that!" She squeaked. The legendary, Cloud, stood in the corner of the room with his arms crossed.

"I wouldn't" Cloud murmured from his black turtle neck. Tifa and Aerith laughed.

"Discrimination! Discrimination!" Yuffie cried. Sora rubbed his head.

"What am I doing here?" Sora paused. "Where is _here_?" Cloud walked over to Sora.

"I was going to ask the same question… And you're at Hollow Bastion" Cloud said.

"How did you guys find me?" Sora asked.

"A black void spit you out in front of me. It looked like the working of the Heartless. The heartless aren't active, are they?" Yuffie said at a hundred mile per hour.

"I'm afraid so." Sora said.

"How many times do you have to kick their ass before they get the message?" Tifa slammed her fist into the palm of her hand. Everyone jumped in their shoes.

"First off, something weird was going on at the Destiny Isle, the island where I come from." Sora began the story. "Two girls, one white and one black, crash landed on the island. They had no idea where they came from. They both had scars on their back and we asked them what they were about. They didn't know. I suppose that was suspicious, but we harbored them anyways. In a week in a half's time, we were all swallowed up by Heartless voids and separated."

"Do you suppose it's the work of Riku again?" Aerith asked.

"Probably. He was being a jerk to the black girl he took in. Broke her heart into pieces—practically drove her insane."

"He broke her heart?" Cloud inquired again.

"Yes. I suppose he did. The girl went on a rampage and soon after that, everyone went missing and then my party of people was swallowed up!" Sora was getting excited and talking too fast. Cloud held up his hand to digest the information.

"How soon?"

"Like, five, ten minutes after it happened." Sora said honestly. Cloud frowned.

"Sounds like Riku broke her heart on purpose. That girl posed as a medium for darkness. Her negative energy about Riku destroying her heart would be perfect for Heartless to wrap their hands around." Cloud said.

"Riku knew what he was doing that day." Sora sighed.

"Condolences." Cloud said. "But the Heartless haven't been active around here."

"This is so weird." Sora said. "I have to find my friends. They are all headed west now. Even if they have to hop worlds, they'll end up at Twilight Town."

"Good plan, Sora." Cloud was nice for a moment. "We'll meet you there, but right now—I'm supposed to be getting a 'hair cut'" Cloud glared at Aerith. She smiled.

"Don't worry; I'll still leave it spiky. Spiky Haired Boy." Aerith laughed.

Ashley opened her eyes. It was night and she was in a jungle like atmosphere. She was on her back, so she sat up. Ashley looked around her surroundings. Ashley looked away, embarrassed. Riku was sitting under a tree, looking smooth. Ashley didn't want to be where ever she was and especially not with Riku. Ashley stood up and tried to storm off.

"We have to head west." Riku said. Ashley kept walking. "There is a cliff that way." She didn't care. Anywhere but where Riku was. "Hey!" Riku called out, getting to his feet. "That isn't west."

"Shut up, Riku!" Ashley thought. She didn't want to be bother by _him_. Riku grabbed Ashley's arm tightly."

"She tricked me, too…" Riku said firmly. Ashley whipped her arm away. "Look, just trust me." He offered. Ashley frowned but conformed. "Great." Riku said with no emotion. "Now, let's head to the west." Riku turned around and began walking. Ashley waited and then followed after getting a few feet between them.

They walked for hours. Ashley started to lag behind. She was fatigued and couldn't focus. Ashley heard a twig snap behind her. She shook her head and got ready to fight. Riku was unaware of what was going on behind him as he pushed through the jungle brush.

It was a Neo Heartless. It was an all black, muscled up creature with zigzag antennae. The Heartless' yellow almond eyes stared at her. Ashley flared up her hands, engulfing them with flames. It took a cheap shot at her, sweeping her. Ashley fell onto her back.

"Ah!" She shouted. Riku looked quickly.

"Ashley!" Riku rushed over to her. Ashley pushed Riku back and planned to fight alone. Ashley began beating the crap out of the Heartless. Ashley gave a swift uppercut but left her torso open. The Heartless gutted Ashley through. Its claws ran horizontal with her body. Blood went flying, splattering on leaves. Riku stepped in grabbing the Heartless by the neck. He squeezed snapping its neck in two. It dissipated.

Ashley held her stomach.

"You okay?" Riku asked with gentle eyes. Ashley held up her hand. She pretended to be alright and began walking again. Riku shrugged.

They walked for another hour. Ashley stopped in her tracks. She coughed into her clean hand. There was blood.

"Ri… Ri…" She couldn't finish. Ashley collapsed…

Ashley opened her eyes to find Riku sitting next to her. He didn't notice that she woke up. Ashley looked around. Riku had built a fire and made a roof with large leaves, sticks, and vines. They were next to a stream. Ashley's wounds were gone and her shirt was mended. Ashley noticed that she was wrapped up in Riku's overcoat.

She watched his stern face as he look at the moon. Riku was wondering if other worlds looked at the same moon. Ashley moved a bit.

"Oh, you're awake." Riku looked down. Ashley stared at Riku's arm muscles.

"Yeah…"

"You're talking to me now?" Riku smiled a bit. It faded.

"What happened?"

"After you passed out from shock, I carried you. I found a stream at least two hours later. I drained a bit of my own energy to cast a healing spell. I made a little fort and wrapped you up to keep you warm. I waited—and here we are." Riku explained.

"I was so cold to you." Ashley reminded.

"You had every right to be, and I'm sorry. Kairi told _me_ that you had kissed Sora in the square."

"Is that why you grabbed me?"

"Yes and I yelled at you. I was afraid that Sora would steal you from me like he did Kairi. When Kairi told me, I feared it was too late." Riku sighed.

"That doesn't explain why you and Kairi were making out. Feelings are feelings and you still had feelings for her."

"I don't know…"

"You should know!" Ashley's eyes watered. "I know!" She hesitated. "I know that—that I like you. You're kind to me and being attractive is a bonus. You've really hurt me…" Riku pinned Ashley down by her shoulders. His hands moved down her arms.

"I'm sorry, please know that. You have been kind to me, Ashley. That was something I didn't get in the town because of my past..." Riku closed in, his aqua eyes piercing Ashley's soul. His lips pressed against hers. Ashley turned her head. Riku let go of her, feeling self-conscious. "I'm sorry! That was out of line." Ashley sat up and touched her lips. "It was silly of me to think that you'd like it."

"It is because I'm black?" Riku felt alienated.

"No-NO! Of course not! It was just—!" Ashley kissed Riku in return. It was a long, sensual kiss. She pulled away.

"Mmm, don't worry about it." Ashley snuggled close to Riku. "The sun is starting to rise, wanna watch it?"

"Yes, I'd like that. I'd like that a lot." Riku put his arm around her. Ashley rested her head on Riku's shoulder.

Shuku was watching the moon. She and Tidus set up camp as well.

"I wonder if Ashley is alright." Shuku said aloud. Tidus sat down wiping his mouth. Shuku and Tidus camped out in front a lake.

"She's probably worried about you, too." Tidus said. Shuku flexed her wings. "We've covered a lot of ground, thanks to you." Tidus thanked.

"I try my best, all season round." Shuku grinned.

"Do you want to tell me about your past? When you remembered, there was some turbulence." Tidus looked at the sky, the stars gleaming.

"I remember most of it, but there are still fragments suppressed. That's probably because I don't want to remember them. Ashley and I are peas in a pod, ever since I could remember she was next to me. We played together and trained together. We were only six when we were abducted and revived our wings. Our keeper was nice, though. I-I can't remember him very well. His face is distant and his name won't come. I know that Ashley and I called him, Master, sometimes." Shuku told.

"Didn't you miss your parents?" Tidus felt sorry for Shuku having to live with out her parents.

"It was for the best… Master even convinced us of that. Trust me, we weren't brainwashed into thinking that, either! He explained that our parents didn't have the money to bring us up. Our powers were out of their control and the village that Ashley and I came from, looked down on Mages. They shunned our parents and made bartering difficult. They had to pay twice as much for something they couldn't help."

"If you could, would you have your powers taken away?" Tidus asked an ethical question. Shuku smiled.

"Yes, we both would have—but that was at a time that we were naïve. Master taught us that we have a gift. A gift that we can use to help people."

"What exactly is your gift?" Tidus inquired. Shuku put one of her wings around Tidus. Her wing was soft and would make a good pillow.

"We have many talents. I am intertwined with the element water mainly. Secondly, I am strong in ice. A physic ability that took long to acquire would be foresight—an ability to see into the future."

"Can you use it on me?" Tidus asked, curious. Shuku shook her head.

"It's difficult. My foresight works at random and I can't use it on myself."

"What about Ashley? What can she do?" Tidus smirked.

"Ashley is a well trained Fire Mage and because of that, if she becomes really stressed or fatigued, she'll forget to keep her powers under control and will literally ignite!"

"So much for being 'well' trained…" Tidus rolled his eyes. Shuku gave a slight punch.

"Ashley trained everyday with Master… She was his favorite…" Shuku looked away with spite.

"Ooh! Jealous?" Tidus leaned toward her, teasing.

"A little. But I was first to achieve my –ra form. Ashley hasn't got Fira yet. I know because I put her fire out in the town square. I haven't been able to do that before. That means I'm a level up than her. So I'm not as jealous." Shuku boasted.

"You're stronger than her?"

"Yeah!"

"Does she have any other powers?"

"She minors in Lighting/Thunder abilities. She never uses it; yet, Ashley is in the –ra for Thunder. She has Thundara. Ashley has the power to bring memories to life and peer into the past."

"Well if that's the case, why not have her look into _your_ past and unlock the memories?" Tidus suggested.

"As if we haven't already tried that. I remember in the horrid years, she tried to bring back my memories of Master. She was driven insane and almost killed herself with a fork." Shuku coughed.

"A fork?"

"It was all she had at the time."

"Was it plastic?"

"Yep." It was quiet between them.

"Wow." Tidus rubbed his chin, starting to laugh.

"It's not funny. It's not funny at all. I don't want my memories to be so chaotic. It hurts to even think into last week. It kind of strains me to tell you about my memories." Shuku rubbed her head.

"Sorry, I didn't know."

"It's alright. You can't fix it if you don't try!"

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Tidus smiled.

"My memories of Ashley came back really vivid; however, there are still pieces missing."

"Don't strain yourself. We'll talk more about it in the morning." Tidus said heading under a fort similar to Riku's.

"Yes, the morning…" Shuku sounded distant.

She was afraid to go to sleep since fractions of her memories had been restored when seeing Ashley. She had more things to have nightmares about…


	5. Chapter Four Master

**Kingdom Hearts II The Untold Chronicles**

**Chapter Four – Master**

As children, Ashley and Shuku were talented. When they both were around three, they were able to cast simple water and fire spells. They always played games together with their powers. Their parents would smile at them from the distance. But it was clear those smiles were fake—as not to alarm their children that their gift was truly a curse.

Their parents had to hide Ashley and Shuku. Many of the town people believed that Ashley and Shuku had some type of contagious disease. They always asked questions about where their children were. Their parents made up lies to keep them hidden. Ashley and Shuku's desperate eyes looked from the corners at windows at the children allowed outside to play. When the other children would look, they would duck. It gave a haunting effect and so the children told ghost stories about their homes.

Ashley and Shuku were only allowed to play at the river next to their small village. Shuku manipulated the water to make spheres of water. Ashley scorched the ground, being bored.

"At least we have each other." Ashley said.

"What good is that?" Shuku complained.

"Hey! I have feelings, too."

"Well everyone else thinks we don't! Even our own parents think we don't!" Shuku pouted. "They hide us away. It's one thing for the town's folk not to talk to us, it's another thing that mommy and daddy shun us as well!"

"It doesn't bother me. I want to run away." Ashley said. Shuku smiled, thinking that was a great idea. A red ball rolled past Shuku falling into the river. A group of kids rushed up with shocked expressions.

"Why'd you kick it so hard?" A boy shouted at a girl. She didn't say anything.

"Man that was the only ball we had!"

"Don't worry, I'll get it!" Shuku volunteered.

"You'll get pulled away by the water!" Ashley smiled when she heard that.

"Go ahead, Shuku, get 'pulled away'" Ashley mocked. Shuku smiled back. She held her hand out. With black charcoal she kept with her all the time to practice her magic, she drew a pentagram quickly.

"O Leviathan, I summon you. Fulfill your vow to me and appear before this sacred symbol of might! Incrementum Aqua Deus!" The river stopped moving and the kids gawked in awe.

"Dude, she stopped the river!" A teenage boy pointed.

"I've never seen anything like this!" Shuku turned the flow of the river backwards. The ball moved up the river and Ashley stuck her hand in, pulling it out.

"Here you go." Ashley handed the ball to the group of kids. They dropped the ball in fear.

"Witches!" They cried, pointing and accusing. Even though they were scared, they mocked and made fun of Ashley and Shuku. They both frowned. Ashley was the first to lose it.

"We help you, and you make fun of us?" Ashley threw a fire ball at their feet. It was a warning shot.

"You witch!" A boy shouted. Ashley intentionally hit him with a blast of fire. His garments caught fire and his friends had to put him out. Shuku was pleased, but she knew this wouldn't settle well with her parents.

"Do you know what death is like? It is possibly a gentle release compared to what Shuku and I go through everyday!" Such young children—but they were scarred deep by their families and town people's betrayal. The children ran off, ready to tell anyone they could find about what Ashley and Shuku did.

"Witches!" An angry mob was starting to form around Ashley's house. Shuku was staying the night so that they could watch each other's back. They both looked out the window with no shame. They could see the torches waving back and forth.

"We should have burned them when we had the chance!" It was a primitive town… A pity. They really liked the fields the town was next to, but if the town people wanted to play the burning game, Shuku would be sure to sick Ashley on the town before they got to them. They were starting to become tainted with all the unwanted and negative attention. Ashley's parents went outside to try and negotiate.

"Please, we can fix them." Her father said. Fix? A detestable selection of vocabulary.

"They are good girls, they can help you with tasks." Her mother reasoned. Help? Help those that would abandon them? Ashley and Shuku put their hands up to the window's glass.

"We aren't saintly creatures. Why would we want to help those ingrates?" Shuku asked.

"I'd help them die and that's it." Ashley muttered with no sympathy.

"Bring them out!" A villager shouted.

"Do they want to see us that badly?" Ashley's finger tips burned with fire.

"Maybe it's not us they want to see. Maybe, they want to see the _other side_." Shuku was talking about death. "Let's do this."

Ashley and Shuku walked out side casually. Their faces were blank. They knew they were going to commit a sin, but it felt so good. The mob stepped back, alarmed that the duo actually showed their faces. They appeared in white night gowns with long sleeves.

"You wished to burn us." Shuku's voice was quiet. "Would you like to see how it's like before you determine to burn us?" Shuku raised her hand. "Do as you wish."

"What's she talking about?" They talked amongst themselves. Ashley stepped forward. Ashley wrote on her concrete stepping stone called a porch. She made an elaborate casting circle, with beautiful curves and foreign languages. Shuku joined in the summons.

"O Bahamut, I summon you. Fulfill your vow to me and appear before this sacred symbol of might! Incrementum Incendium Deus!" They recited together. The ground the circle was cast upon turned into a ring of fire. A dark bull like creature rose from the pits of Hell. Ashley grabbed onto furry neck pulling herself onto the bull.

"Let's burn it all down, Bahamut!" Ashley commanded. Bahamut gave a roar, shaking the town. Bahamut sent a stream of flames from his mouth. It rolled over houses, going up in flames. Ashley laughed as Bahamut leaped around the town crushing houses and setting things aflame. The villagers in front of Ashley's home were terrified by now. They were concerned with their items and started to run from Shuku.

"Where do you think you're going?" Shuku questioned the group. "If you want these fires out, I suggest you apologize. Ashley can cause fires but I can create water. I can put these fires out—but it will be at a price and that price is worship." Shuku folded her arms with a cruel smile. "Beg for forgiveness, impudent mortals!"

"Only witches would do something this foul!" Some one said as others got down on their hands and knees, bowing to Shuku. Shuku heard the remark and turned fierce.

"You people said we were bad news before we decided to show you that mask you've given us! You people branded us with labels and now that these labels are a reality—you can't handle them can you? Can you? I suddenly act the part and you act surprised! If you would have never judged in the first place, you'd have somewhere to stay. But now, I'm questioning if I should flood the area. Don't make me think twice about it. The second time I always change my mind." Shuku grimaced.

Ashley screamed. Bahamut was going mad. He began bucking like a rodeo bull. Ashley held on for dear life as Bahamut compacted more homes but Ashley was unable to control her beast. Bahamut bucked her off and she was sure to take a fall that would kill her.

Strong arms caught her. Ashley grasped onto the Gucci suit. She looked up and a sharp looking young man, Caucasian, with silver hair to his back and crimson eyes, looked at her. He raised his hand and gained control of Bahamut.

"Sit!" He ordered. Bahamut sat on all fours. "Go back to your domain!" Bahamut sunk back into the ground without a trace. "Now…" His warming voice said. Shuku was enraged.

"Who are you to cancel Ashley's summon?" Shuku stomped up to the mysterious man. He frowned. He set Ashley down like a gentlemen, then dealt with Shuku. He waved his hand over her quickly. WHAM! Shuku reached for her mouth and the words would not come. Shuku looked up and saw her own personalized thought bubble with three periods. She had been silenced. Her magic was useless in this state. Shuku went to kick the young man in the shin. Her foot bounced off a force field. Ashley argued.

"How dare you do that to Shuku?" WHAM! Shuku and Ashley both sat down with big tears in their eyes. The town's people stood up and they were grateful.

"Thank you, sir." Some people said.

"Don't thank him; he's just the same as those two hoodlums!" Others commented. He adjusted his tie and dusted of his suit.

"No, I'm not like them. I have control over my actions and I do not use my gift recklessly. My name is Ansem. And I'm taking these two girls. They have great potential." He said. Ashley and Shuku couldn't object.

"They are our children!" Ashley and Shuku's parents voiced. "You just can't _take_ them!"

"It would be for the best, don't you think? Look at your homes. They have been destroyed by the likes of these two. How long did you seriously think that you could keep them under control without the proper training?" He questioned. They remained hushed. Their parents looked at them.

"I think it's for the best…" Shuku's mother said with warm eyes. "You could get a handle on your power—and someday return." Shuku bowed her head and nodded. Ashley did, too.

"Then, come with me…" Ansem held out his hand…

Ashley and Shuku walked hand in hand with this 'Ansem'. They had been Dispelled.

"What do you plan to do with us?" Shuku asked.

"Nothing dirty like child pornography." He said. That shut Shuku up.

"Where are we going?" Ashley asked.

"To a fort called Hollow Bastion—from there we will go to Ansem the Wise's castle."

"I though you were Ansem." Ashley said.

"No, I just use his name sometimes. I'm his lab assistant, Xehanort."

"Why should we trust a man who lies?" Shuku asked, thinking back about the child pornography remark.

"You have every right to be concerned." Xehanort said. "But if you want to be as powerful as I am someday, you're going to have to trust me for now."

"If we live up to _someday_." Ashley whispered to Shuku behind Xehanort's back.

"Hollow Bastion is starting to appear over the horizon." He said.

Ashley and Shuku let go of Xehanort's hand. They looked at all the strange houses and amazed at the merchants. It was a bustling city. They had never seen anything like it. Ashley and Shuku looked at one another and started chasing. Ashley chased Shuku up a flight of lavender stairs. Xehanort followed with a smile. He was amused with their innocence, even though they nearly burned their town to the ground. Ashley and Shuku rushed up to a railing and they looked down. There was a beautiful view of the setting sun, reflecting off the sea.

"Wow…" Ashley said. Shuku took a deep breath in.

"I love the smell of it." Shuku said. They could hear a group of people walking towards them. They looked in the general direction. Strong looking body guards surrounded a short hooded creature. Ashley and Shuku could see the two perfect spears on top of its head. Xehanort's smile faded. It was time for him to get into his role of good lab assistant. Xehanort grabbed Ashley and Shuku by the hand and walked them towards the group. They were scared.

"Are these the two that Ansem the Wise had his eye on?" The figured asked in a cheerful, high pitched voice. Ashley and Shuku moved behind each of Xehanort's legs, hiding. Xehanort put his hands on their shoulders to comfort them.

"Yes, these two girls are special. Their magic is beautiful for children who are self-taught." Xehanort flattered them. The hooded figure tried to get a good look at their faces. Ashley and Shuku still hid their dirty faces, wild hair, and tarnished night gowns from the fire last night. "They are shy."

"Ha-ha! That's okay. They are still very cute. Ansem will be pleased that you found mages so young and talented!" The figure said. With that, he was off, the body guards keeping him safe.

"Who the hell was that?" Ashley cursed. Xehanort whacked her upside the head. Ashley rubbed her head

"You have a foul little mouth." Xehanort said.

"Yeah, so?"

"I don't want you to be a typical black stereo type and curse all the time… It defines you as a person who doesn't know any sophisticated words to express your self. Other than your magic, your language is all you have to help express yourself. So, clean it up, or else." Xehanort gave her the benefit of the doubt. There was a pause.

"No! You don't scare me!" WHAM! Ashley's eyes filled with water, unable to speak or retaliate with magic.

"Now you see how important your language is. Now that you can't use it to express your anger, or politely ask me your question—you see its value. I'm trying to teach you to know and appreciate something's value before you take it for granted." He scolded.

"Please," Shuku pleaded. "She doesn't have people skills."

"And I'm teaching those to her. If she wants to be unruly then I can fight fire with fire."

"Alright, okay… Who was that?"

"That was King Mickey. He is king of all worlds. He commissioned Ansem to create a key to keep the darkness from his worlds; a key that would be to difficult to find for those who wish to take his thrown." Xehanort said beginning to walk the way that King Mickey had come from. He took Shuku's hand and then he reached for Ashley's. She whipped her hand away from Xehanort. She was crying. He ignored her.

"That makes no sense. Why not destroy the door?" Shuku asked looking up with big, curious eyes. Xehanort smiled down to her.

"If there is no darkness, good does not exists. If one is in a state of good all the time, one will lose the sense of the word and they just are. With out darkness, one does not know what it is to be happy. And they will take that happiness for granted and end up like Ashley in a sense." He looked at Ashley with no emotion. "Usually what happens is a rein of good ensues and everyone knows happiness, but then a bad apple will appear and try and put everything into a state of darkness to suit his—or her—own needs."

"Where does that bad apple come from?" Shuku asked.

"Couldn't tell you. It just happens. It's like the inventor that develops something new. The idea came out of no where."

"I still don't understand this whole good thing."

"Well how about this: Man cannot live with out woman, and woman cannot live with out man. Does that make sense?" Xehanort asked, turning a corner. A tall castle appeared in the distance as the city turned into tall lavender cliffs.

"What are you talking about?" Shuku was stunned. After all, boys had cooties. Xehanort turned red, forgetting that they probably didn't have that talk yet.

"Okay, the door to darkness is practically impossible to destroy so King Mickey wants to be able to _control_ it, at least."

"Why didn't you just say so?" Shuku huffed. Xehanort laughed to himself.

"My apologies." His eyes wandered to Ashley who was lagging behind.

"Welcome!" The true Ansem said. His hair was a fading blonde. He was a middle-aged Caucasian man. He wore a white lab coat with pens in the top pocket. "This will be your new home. Xehanort will show you to your quarters. I hope you both enjoy it here." Ansem leaned down and pat Shuku on the head. He turned to pet Ashley on the head, but she was saving up a wet one. She spat into his face. Xehanort gasped and backhanded Ashley. Ashley grabbed Xehanort's hand and bit it, breaking the skin and drawing blood.

"YARRG!" Xehanort shook her off. Ashley chewed on some of his flesh. She spit out the chunk and some blood landed on the floor. Shuku nodded putting her arm around Ashley.

"I told you, Xehanort. She doesn't have people skills and the way you treated her, you only have yourself to blame." Shuku said. Ashley wiped her bloody mouth with her night gown sleeve. Ansem cleaned his face with a handkerchief.

"She's a handful. We should select another candidate for this." Ansem said to Xehanort like the girls weren't standing there. Xehanort healed his hand with a simple spell.

"We don't have any leads as to anyone as gifted as they are…" Xehanort whispered.

"Excuse me, sons of bitches." Shuku spoke up. "Ashley is part of the package. You want to keep me for what ever you plan to do, Ashley stays with me."

"You don't have to curse." Xehanort said. "I'll do the same to you as I did to Ashley."

"I don't care. She bit you for a reason. You talk all this smart junk about good and evil and you can't even conclude something simple!" Shuku held Ashley's hand. "Ashley tried to be herself and got reprimanded for it. This is just like from where we come from. The gift you claim we have, set us apart and for that we were reprimanded. When you arrived, you caught us in the middle of lashing out—like Ashley did to you both."

"Xehanort, did you discipline the black one?" Ansem asked.

"LOOK!" Shuku was pissed. "We have names. We'd appreciate it if you'd ask us what they are!" She turned to Xehanort. "This isn't what we live for. Dispell her and we're gone!"

"If I'm nicer, will you stay?" Xehanort asked.

"I don't know. We'll stay if you Dispell her." Shuku bargained.

"Alright." He waved his hand over Ashley's head. Her bubble was gone but she did not speak. She stared at the floor.

"…Xehanort will show you to your quarters. He will be training you with your individual gifts. You will call him Master from this moment forward." Ansem said turning around immediately.

"These girls are intolerable!" Ansem said from his laboratory. "They need to be disciplined, thoroughly." Xehanort watched an experiment, taking notes on a clip board. He wore goggles and a white lab coat.

"I don't know if I can do that. Shuku made a point. They come from a pretty rough background. The last thing they need is ruthless authority. To see the pent up anger that Ashley was harboring. I put the silent spell on her not even an hour ago. And she nearly took my hand off!"

"They must be contained in order to give them the power. Put a leash on them, Xehanort. They will thank you once they become powerful and not so… Naïve." Ansem said leaning back in a leather chair.

Xehanort put down the clip board and sighed. Maybe he started off on the wrong foot. He applied tactics that a distant man taught him. It would be time to disregard those tactics and get personal.


	6. Chapter Five Love

**Kingdom Hearts II The Untold Chronicles**

**Chapter Five – Love**

"Wow! This Ansem is living large!" Shuku said. She looked around their dark room. It had a violet red scheme. There were many windows, very tall and covered with velvet drapes. Ashley had nothing to say. "Aww, come on, Ashley. Cheer up." Shuku went over to a large bed. Shuku jumped on it. "I like this one!"

Their chamber door opened. Xehanort appeared in another suit. It was deep purple with vertical grey lines.

"I'm glad to see you like your room." He smiled. Shuku bounced onto her rear then dismounted.

"I like the color, I'm not too much of a red fan, but violet red is okay."

"How do you like it, Ashley?" Xehanort asked. Ashley backed into the shadows. Xehanort sighed, but turned his attention to Shuku. "Would you like to see the garden?"

"I'd love to!" Shuku squealed with glee. "I love flowers—Ashley does, too." Shuku's eyes wandered to hers. She looked away.

"You can go to the garden… I don't feel like it…" Ashley whispered, heading towards a bed adjacent to Shuku's.

"Alright." Shuku was concerned, but Ashley wouldn't be going anywhere. Xehanort held down his hand and Shuku took it. They walked out of the room.

Ashley made sure that all the drapes were drawn tight. She didn't want any light in the room.

"Man, this place is great! Do we get free meals?" Shuku asked. The garden was a garden meant for a princess. Vibrant colors surrounded their feet.

"Of course." Xehanort responded. He had other matters on his mind, though. "About Ashley…"

"What about her?" Shuku seemed annoyed. Shuku knew that Ashley didn't want to be bothered.

"Could you tell me what kind of things she likes?"

"Well," Shuku shifted her eyes about, fearing that revealing some of Ashley's lesser personal likes would be betraying her. "She likes cherries." Xehanort nodded. There was a moment of silence.

"Is that all?" Xehanort asked. Shuku shrugged.

"She's simple."

"Then this shouldn't be too hard." Xehanort led Shuku though the garden, allowing her to pick out as many flowers as she wanted to compose a bouquet. "Lots of red ones! I love the color red." Xehanort smiled to Shuku. Shuku gave a big grin back. They soon sat on a bench to organize the bouquet.

There was a knock on the door. Ashley's eyes peered at the door with dislike.

"Dinner is ready. Shuku is down stairs waiting on you." Xehanort said, through a crack in the door.

"Go away." Ashley said quietly.

"What if I said I won't?" Xehanort walked into the room. Ashley hid in a corner of the room. "Could you at least eat, for Shuku?"

"NO! I won't eat for that—traitor!"

"Why are you being so distant?" Xehanort sat down next to her in the corner. The room was dark and bleak looking. "Shuku is your only friend."

"Yet, she associates with _you_!" Ashley crossed her arms tightly. "As far as I'm concerned, I don't have any friends."

"Don' t be this way." Xehanort shook his head slowly.

"I told you to go away! I don't like you or that stupid old man. I-I'll set you on fire I swear to…" Xehanort put his arm around Ashley. Her heart nearly exploded.

"I think all you need is a nice warm bath. Maybe, after that, you'll feel better." Xehanort smiled at her. Ashley became bashful and withdrawn. "I've picked out some clothes for you. I've already laid them out in the bathroom. If you don't feel like eating dinner then you don't have to come down."

Xehanort showed Ashley to the master bath. He shut the door quickly to let her be alone. Ashley stumbled to the large tub. It was a gleaming white, untouched by the filth of others. Xehanort had laid out a white night gown with cherries textile design.

"My heart…" Ashley whispered to herself. She couldn't believe Xehanort's kindness. "Belongs to you…"

Shuku and Ashley grew up well. They spent almost every waking moment with Xehanort. Ashley still remained quiet, but Shuku kept her going. When the girls were both ten, they would go through with the procedure of receiving their powers

It was a cold day in December. Xehanort led both Shuku and Ashley to Ansem's laboratory. The girls were still very distant from Ansem, but Xehanort had sworn to them that he would be leading the procedure. It was the only thing keeping them comfortable.

Xehanort helped them onto steel, cold operating tables. It took Ashley a moment to let go of Xehanort's hand. He smiled at them both.

"Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you, two, beautiful, young ladies." Xehanort wrapped the restrains around their backs. Ashley and Shuku were on their bellies, looking at one another.

"Shuku, if something were to go wrong…"

"We've already talked about this. Ashley, don't worry. We've never believed in a god—but there must be a plan for us to live." Shuku said. Ansem grabbed Ashley's arm with a needle in hand. He leveled the sedative, the liquid landing on the floor. Ashley flinched. Ansem ruthlessly injected Ashley. Xehanort looked down with sadness in his eyes as he sedated Shuku. They closed their eyes and the operation would begin.

"Xehanort, put on your goggles, this could get messy." Ansem said, pulling his down. Xehanort sighed, but did as he was told. Xehanort put on thick, brown gloves. The gloves looked like they were for picking something up very hot. Xehanort reached into a safe. He pulled out a white crystal. It looked like a diamond but it radiated bright white light.

"Now, it's time to _test_ my theory about the Kingdom Millennia Crystal." Xehanort grabbed a scalpel. He made two long incisions on Shuku's back, the blood flowing freely. He put the scalpel down, next to other medical equipment. "King Mickey discovered this crystal in the center of Kingdom Hearts. The crystal was an open and lock mechanism for Kingdom Hearts. King Mickey removed it and asked us to hide it. When we told him about two girls who would be great candidates to protect it, he was grateful. Kingdom Hearts has been permanently closed ever since. King Mickey is ready to reopen the door and he will need you girls to do so." Xehanort said, taking a seat level to Shuku. "Ansem, the electric bone saw, please." Ansem handed Xehanort the bone saw.

"Be careful, don't get to close to her spine, you could paralyze her." Ansem reminded. Xehanort's forehead was already sweating. He pulled his medical mask up higher. Xehanort knew he had to get very close to her spine in order to brand them for King Mickey. Xehanort was a little sick. All for King Mickey's sake. Xehanort started to feel that the man he looked up to, Ansem, was as ruthless as King Mickey.

Xehanort started the electrical bone saw. He revved the saw. He pressed the rotating blade into the incision, the flesh and muscle tissue flying. Xehanort hacked at her rib bones for half an hour. Her rib bones looked like they could hold the wings to brand them.

"The crystal saw." Xehanort demanded. Ansem passed it to him. A hack saw composed of a titanium-platinum blade to cut the Kingdom Millennia Crystal. He cut the crystal into quarters. "A quarter of the crystal into each of your sides. Your bodies will be the soil that blooms the flowers of justice. And the Kingdom Millennia Crystal will be the seed…" Xehanort said in a form of prayer…

Xehanort and Ansem stood back looking at their masterpieces.

"It really—worked." Ansem awed. He wrote on a clip board. "You are by far the best apprentice I've ever had. No one has pulled off an experiment this big under my apprenticeship! And all you had was only a tall-tell legend. You're fortunate King Mickey invested the crystal into your research. I'm giving you your long awaited A plus."

"Thank you, sir." Xehanort ignored his blabbering. Xehanort didn't see the girls as an experiment or a key for the King. Xehanort saw them as his little girls—little girls that were given a second chance in an environment they could thrive in. And in their struggle to thrive they turned into young ladies.

Unrestrained and unconscious, adorable, small white wings were cresting on their backs. The large incisions down their backs were already healed because of the crystal's power. Shuku and Ashley glowed in heavenly light.

They were sore, but they could live with it. Within six months, Shuku and Ashley had massive wings. Their clothing was tailored to accommodate the wings. It only meant they had to wear halter tops all the time and that didn't bother the youthful ladies. Their wings gave them pride and nobility. They walked silently with their heads held high.

Five and a half years later, Shuku and Ashley were presented to King Mickey at a formal night festival called, _Sen no Tsubasa no Matsuri_ The Festival of a Thousand Wings. Their presence was known across the castle and kingdoms. Ansem _sold_ them to King Mickey for 50,000,000 munny a piece. Xehanort stood in the shadows and waited for the festival to be over. Shuku waltzed over to Xehanort, with a drink in her hand. Shuku was wearing a white halter top, skimpy dress. Shuku was 16 and Xehanort was 28.

"Nice to see you again, Master. It has been a year or two since we last seen each other, right?" Xehanort nodded. "In a suit as always." Shuku smiled.

"It's good to look professional." Xehanort was in a grey suit. "Where is Ashley?"

"She's standing in the court yard like a prop. I got tired of that. King Mickey is starting to treat us like props. I wish you would have said we were being sold. Do we get any of the munny?"

"No, that's the lab fee." Xehanort snorted.

"What?" Shuku yelled.

"I'm just kidding!" He gave a warm smile. "We'll give you both munny to help you guys get on your feet in this new town." Shuku snuggled up to Xehanort.

"I owe you my life…" Shuku said, getting onto her toes. She wrapped her arms around Xehanort's neck and leaned in for a kiss. Xehanort gulped. He didn't know how to react. He wasn't Shuku's father and she had matured into a fine young lady. Could he say no…?

He couldn't.

Shuku and Xehanort shared an intimate kiss. Shuku took his breath away with a grown woman kiss. Shuku pulled away with a catty grin.

Her eyes were on fire. Her hand shook. She wanted to share a drink with Xehanort. She couldn't understand the feeling. Was it rejection? She let go of the glasses and her hands went to her face. The glasses shattered on the ground, drawing attention to her failure. Her fingers curved around her eyes as if she were going blind.

"I—I—I… Ah, I—I—I—I—I don't understand…" Ashley interrupted. Shuku let go of Xehanort. He looked at the broken glass and spilled drinks.

"It's exactly what you think…" Shuku was honest with Ashley. Ashley had labored breaths, her heart slowly crumbling.

"I—I don't understand…" A crowd was starting to form.

"Calm down, Ashley. It was nothing, a simple thank you kiss." Xehanort began to explain. "I love you both, equally!"

A poor selection of words.

Those beautiful, white wings became tainted. From the top, to the bottom, they slowly became black as that night. Ashley looked from left to right at what gave her pride—they were black with hate and spite. She didn't want to be seen; she wished that she was the smallest flake of snow! Her loss of control was visible. Despite all the training that Xehanort gave, it left Ashley in her emotional distress. Her body became engulfed in flames. The flames were intense, but they did not consume her body.

"Calm down, Ashley!" Shuku called out. "Regain control!" With a jump and the flap of her wings, Ashley took off into the sky. She left a red tail in the sky. King Mickey observed the whole thing.

"I didn't pay you to bring me something with defects! Fix her!" King Mickey whispered to Xehanort when Shuku was distracted.

"Yes, sir." Xehanort said. He looked at the sky, watching Ashley's red tail fade. "I didn't know…"

Xehanort had a pretty good idea where Ashley had gone to. There was only one place she'd go to in King Mickey's kingdom, and that was the hot springs at the bottom of Mount Mickey. The mountain was volcanic and she could rest in an environment of heat.

Xehanort walked up to the biggest hot spring, and she was there. Her festival dress, similar to Shuku's, was tattered. She was relaxing in the nearly boiling water. Her face was almost submerged, only her scared eyes were above the water to view her scenery. Xehanort noticed that only one of her wings was still black. The other had changed back into its angelic state.

Xehanort's movements caught Ashley's eye.

"I see you're starting to forgive me…" He tried to make conversation. Her response was a shift in the water. "Look, I didn't know Shuku was going to thank me so well," Ashley threw a stone at him. "Er I didn't know she'd thank me that way. And I also didn't know you'd react this way." Xehanort made the approach towards the heartbroken Ashley. She allowed him to come close. Her black wing slowly turned white as he got closer and closer. It made Xehanort smile. It was a sincere smile from the heart. Ashley was embarrassed her wings told on her, but she couldn't hide it. His presence made her safe and truly alive. It was difficult to stay angry at him.

Xehanort slid into the water, sitting next to Ashley on a man-made stone bench for visitors.

"I'm still angry…" Ashley lied through her teeth.

"But you've forgiven me, haven't you?" Xehanort posed.

"I hate it when you talk to me like that!"

"Then why haven't you've told me that you've hated it?"

"Goddamn it!" Ashley cursed to make Xehanort get angry.

"Your foul little mouth won't make me angry, anymore." Xehanort moved closer to Ashley.

"Your suit is getting wet. You should get out."

"Why haven't you told me that you didn't like the way I've talked to you?"

"Because!"

"That won't cut it." He was strict. "I bet you didn't like the way I looked at Shuku, either. I bet you didn't like it when I helped her hone her water abilities when you were so far behind. I bet you didn't like me leaving you behind."

"Be quiet, you asshole!"

"I bet you didn't like eating dinner by yourself when I went away to see the King for business. I bet you didn't like it when Shuku got my praise when she fought you for first time and won. I bet that really burned you up on the inside. I bet you didn't like it when _I_ kissed Shuku. Yes, I kissed her. Why haven't you said that you didn't like it? Why?" His words were torture.

"I don't know!" Ashley burst into tears. The water around Xehanort started to get hotter. "I don't know because I… Because I…"

He had pried too much. Ashley was starting to lose control and become engulfed in flames, once more.

"Don't fly away! Use your words for a change! Tell me…" Xehanort said. Ashley didn't say anything. The heat died down, again. She felt worthless. Xehanort began undressing himself. He took off his blazer, tie, shirt, and then his under shirt. Ashley dried her eyes a bit.

"W-What are you doing?" She asked, confused.

"I'm getting comfortable. I can tell I'll be here a while." Xehanort said, stretching out his arms.

"You'd stay?"

"Of course I would." He looked at her. Those red eyes. Ashley's heart was his, once more. She cuddled up to his chest, resting her head there as Xehanort put his arm around her. Ashley began explaining how she felt from the beginning, with kind, gentle words.

"The second night that I was at Ansem's castle and you coaxed me out of the room for a bath… I-I started falling in love with you…"

"Do go on." Xehanort was intrigued.

The sun had risen. Xehanort walked back into town with Ashley in his arms. She was wrapped up to the best of Xehanort's ability with his blazer. Xehanort could take the climate change, but Ashley could not. He wanted her comfortable. He went straight to King Mickey's castle. Shuku was already at the front gate.

"Well? Is she angry at me?" Shuku asked in a morning robe.

"No. She could never be cross with you. She was angry with me." Xehanort said. Ashley was slowly waking up.

"Oh my. What happened last night?" Shuku asked with a wide smile. "You didn't deflower the poor thing, did you?" Shuku followed behind Xehanort once she saw his red face. "I think you did…"

"I did no such thing!" He exclaimed. "You should be ashamed of yourself!"

"I have people skills, Ashley does not. Therefore, I have no shame. She's learned to cope with my popularity. Even if my popularity involves me getting my first kiss before her." Shuku boasted.

"I hope I wasn't your…"

"No you weren't."

"Oh. No—wait! I wasn't?" Xehanort was shocked as he carried Ashley up the castle's stairs.

"No way!"

"Who did you kiss? I've always kept a close eye on you!"

"I'm a growing girl that already knows the tricks of the trade."

"Tricks of the trade? You're a whore now?" Xehanort couldn't believe his ears.

"This is what happens when you go away for a year or two, Xehanort. You lose face with people." Shuku reminded. "And to clarify, I'm not a whore."

"So? Who was it?"

"Some servant."

"Servant? You could have done better than that!"

"A boy is a boy, with or without their not-so-obvious labels." Shuku said.

"My word! Then you've helped me make up my mind!" Xehanort opened the castle door, the guards aware that Xehanort was returning "property."

"Make up your mind about what?" Shuku asked.

"I'm going to stay here a while and make sure Ashley is current on her training." It was quiet between them.

"You totally deflowered her!" Shuku accused.

"No, no! You have it all wrong! The girl still burst out into flames when she's angry o-or fatigued. You stopped leaking water years ago!"

"You know, maybe she still bursts out into flames to get _private_ tutoring from you, Master." Shuku giggled. Xehanort was becoming redder every minute he talked to Shuku. He focused on carrying Ashley down the main hall. Ashley narrowed her eyes. She was glad Shuku was being herself. They had both failed to realize that Ashley started paying attention at the first mention of deflowering.


	7. Chapter Six Battle at Port Royal

**Kingdom Hearts II The Untold Chronicles**

**Chapter Six – Battle At Port Royal**

"Master!"

"Reach for my hand, Ashley!"

"Master, don't let me go!"

"I won't, I promise!"

"My hand is slipping!"

"You can't do this! You can't take her away from me!"

"They're gonna kill me!"

"No they aren't! Hold onto me—for dear life…"

"Let me go! Let me go!"

"Unhand her!"

"MASTER! I love……………."

Ashley awoke from her sleep. She was rocking back and forth slowly. Ashley was on a ship—a ship in turn, belonged to her. Well, Riku and Ashley stole it fair and square. She rubbed her head. She looked out of a small circular window to view the sea. Her distant memories gave her nightmares and all sorts of night terrors.

Ashley climbed out of her night gown—which was also stolen—and put on her scantily clad scallywag get up. She put a purple eye patch wielding a Jolly Roger then tied a purple bandana around her hair. She grabbed her tri-cornered hat and left her quarters.

Riku stood on deck, at the wheel steering the large but narrow ship. Riku was also dressed like a pirate. He sported a knee high black trench coat, split up the back to his tail bone. Riku didn't have an eye patch like Ashley, but he wore a black tri-cornered hat like her.

"Sweetie, where are we headed?" Ashley said, surfacing on the deck.

"We're headed west, like we are supposed to. According to this map, our closest destination will be—Port Royal. Sadly, we need to stock up on supplies." Riku said.

"What's so sad about that?" Ashley leaned over the bow. Riku could see her panties. He blushed.

"It's that we stole this ship, we stole the money from the passengers, _safely_ left the passengers at dock might I add, stole supplies from a Port Royal naval ship, and to top it all off, I can see your panties." Riku explained.

"Who cares? The pirate life is for us!" Ashley looked back.

"You do most of the work anyways! You're rotten at heart!" Riku detested.

"Hey, I didn't torture those passengers!"

"I had to talk you out of it! If I hadn't, they'd be floating at sea somewhere." Riku countered. "Anyways, we stole from a naval ship. The authorities could be looking for us at Port Royal. And you know as well as I do that pirates die at the gallows!" Ashley sighed.

"I'm only trying to have some fun…"

"It seems to me that you're turning your heart to the darkness. And if you do that, you'll become a Heartless—and chances are you'll also produce a Nobody!" Riku seemed worried. Riku really cared. He didn't want Ashley turning into a Heartless. Her eyes softened.

"I had a dream…" Ashley slowly turned around.

"That's a good sign! You could be remembering your past!" Riku congratulated. Ashley frowned.

"I think I'm in love with someone." Riku's hands fell to his sides.

"Oh, I see." The joy in Riku's voice faded.

"Dreams are just that, Riku. They are dreams. Maybe it was just a false alarm." Ashley reasoned, moving close to Riku. "Are you giving up on me?"

"Of course not!" Riku tried to put on a smile. Ashley looked away.

"I'll go tend to the cannons—make sure they are full with powder and shot." She went back under the deck. Ashley was the only deck hand and Riku was the navigator.

Riku wanted to believe her. But he knew all too well how a past love has a tight grip around one's heart. Kairi was behind Riku, though. Riku knew what she _did_ and would pay her back ten fold.

Ashley wasn't tending to the cannons or the shot. She lied to get out of Riku's presence. She did sit next to the cannons as she thought. Her memories of Xehanort were distorted. She remembered his gentle crimson eyes. Ashley could feel the heat of his embraces. Ashley felt alive and dead all at once. She was alive thinking about the figure from her dreams, but she was dead thinking about the loss of Riku if it came down to choosing. Ashley was confused, and with out Shuku, she couldn't reason.

"Ah…" Shuku huffed with relief. "It's so nice to be on open waters! I feel so comforted when I'm with my element."

"I don't comfort you?" Tidus asked with a big smile. They were relaxing on a fairly large size cruse. The cruse was making its way back home. Home being, Port Royal. The ship was painted white with windows all along the sides. It was an engine propelled ship, the newest in Port Royal technology.

Shuku and Tidus got on the cruse for free because Shuku helped the captain on a various dock. Shuku healed his sprained ankle with her powers. He was grateful and gave her free passage. Not to mention, Shuku's angelic wings made a big impression on him as well. The captain felt that abandoning an angelic creature would mean damnation for his ship. He took her aboard without hesitation.

"I wish I had a swim suit so I could sun bathe—get a little color on my skin. I don't like being this pale. I look horrendous! Sickly, even!" Shuku said running her hand up her arms.

"You look fine." Tidus said as they lounged on the deck with typical lounging chairs. "I wonder how Sora is doing…"

"He's fine! I just know it. Sora is the kind of guy that can take care of himself and a few others around him. I was so fortunate to be found by such a kind hearted person. If Sora hadn't found me, I'd fear that I'd be in some underground porn ring." Shuku said, adjusting her wings. They were soft, but lying on them for so long, made them go to sleep. She flexed. Tidus stared with wide eyes.

"You have a potty mouth!" Tidus said. He secretly liked it.

"Hee hee, would you like it if I told your fortune?" Shuku offered. Her foresight was still weak. Tidus nodded as he sat up. Shuku sat up as well and reached for his hand.

It was too late. Shuku rested her hand on her chair and had a vision. She clutched her head.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" Tidus moved in to catch her if she fainted.

"…I'm fine—but this ship won't be. I saw cannon balls. I'm not sure from where…" Shuku looked around the barren sea. "I don't sense a void in the water. It must be far away, or a really small ship in comparison."

"You can gather all that from the water?" Tidus asked.

"Of course. I know my element and my element knows me. But open water is so large you just can't hone in on one thing. You have to have a feel for the size of islands, tidal waves, fish, people, and ships. It's simple to look for voids in the water. It's like something disrupting the flow—like a—banana in your walking path." Shuku explained.

"I—think I understand." Tidus' brain felt like it was going to explode. "Don't you think we should get off this ship since you had the vision?"

"No, no. Even when the cannons were going off, I felt comfortable. My comfort means we should stay and watch it unfold." Shuku reached for Tidus' hands to tell his fortune. Tidus moved his hands away. "What's the matter?"

"I just don't feel like it anymore." Tidus said with a nervous smile.

"I don't predict only bad things!" Shuku was slightly offended.

"I know…" He trailed.

"You sonnovabitch!" Shuku yelled at him with a big grin. He smiled back.

"Loads the cannons and raise the Port Royal flag." Riku instructed to Ashley. She nodded doing what she was told. They had made a long, slow circle around Port Royal. They saw a cruse liner making its way towards the dock. Riku voted to hijack it mid way and make their escape. Ashley agreed. The sun was still high in the sky. Riku and Ashley weren't scared of the Port Royal Navy.

The cruse ship was eight miles away from Port Royal but it was visible in the distance. A deck hand noted the fair size vessel closing it at 15 knots.

"Captain!" He shouted. "A ship wielding the Port Royal flag is in distress!" The captain looked over starboard to the ship. Riku was flaring his arms back and forth as if he were sincerely in distress. The captain nodded.

"Reel them in and bring them up. We'll tow the ship to Port Royal!" He said.

"Sir!" The deck hand responded and relayed the orders. Shuku leaned on the ship's railing with a smug look.

"…If she's on that boat…." Shuku held back her laughter.

"Raise the Jolly Roger." Riku said.

The people on the cruse were already staring at the ship that was supposedly in distress. They watched the Port Royal flag along with the white distress flag go down. Most of them knew at that moment what they were _really_ dealing with.

"Pirates!" Someone cried before Ashley could put up their Jolly Roger.

"Run for it! Hide your goods and save the women!" A man shouted. People panicked around Shuku as Riku was becoming more visible. Shuku could feel Ashley's presence but couldn't lay her finger on it. She was sure now that Ashley was on the ship.

"Fire the shot!" Riku demanded. Ashley rushed under the deck and began lighting up their cannons. Ten cannons lined up the ship's side would inflect damage on the cruse ship. Riku pulled in close enough for himself and Ashley to board with grappling hooks and rope. They swung, climbing up the side of the ship. Once Riku and Ashley were aboard, they drew their swords and looked at the frightened passengers.

"Where's the captain? We want 'em ship!" Ashley said with a pirate's tongue. The captain stepped forward.

"I am he!" He called. Ashley walked up to him, looking like a nightwalker.

"Ye hand over 'em ship, like a good capt'n?" She asked. He shook his head no. "Then, I'll aft to take off 'em ead like a good pirate!" Ashley went to decapitate the captain.

"Hold it right there!" Shuku shouted. Ashley stopped dead in her tracks. "Don't I know you from somewhere?" She teased.

"Maybe." Ashley smiled before turning around. "If ye missin' somethin' then ye might know me."

"I'll be damned! Why'd you become a pirate?" Shuku put her hands on her hips.

"I thought it be fun! We read about the all the time with Master!" Ashley said in her normal voice, neglecting her duties. Riku poked her with his sword.

"We ave a ship to be takin, love!" Riku said in a pirate tongue.

"Oh, right!" Ashley resumed. "I'ma cut ye ead off!" She threatened the captain.

"No, you won't." Shuku reminded.

"Oh no, love, she won't—but I will." An unfamiliar voice announced.

Again, everyone turned their head to starboard. A black ship had taken over Riku and Ashley's ship and were proceeding to jump on the cruse ship. The man that stood behind Ashley was tall with his eyes painted black. Riku frowned as the dames swooned over him. He had his head wrapped with a maroon bandana and a beloved tri-cornered hat. He had all his appendages—nothing replaced by metal or wood—and a nice set of teeth.

"Captain Jack Sparrow!" Riku called.

"Oh, so ye know me?" He was flattered but didn't stop his crew from plundering the cruse ship. "I ear my name gets 'round." Passengers resumed their screaming as smelly men with rusted sabers threatened their lives and valuables. "Save the female booty for me." Jack said walking on deck, patrolling.

"This was our gig!" Ashley shouted to the striking man.

"Too bad, love. Deal wit it or ye find ye self in Dave Jones' Locker." Jack threatened. Shuku stomped up next to Ashley.

"Do you know who you're dealing with? We're the key to Kingdom Hearts!" Shuku blurted. Riku and Tidus nearly fainted. Shuku was unaware how desired a key for Kingdom Hearts truly was. One would have to devote one's self to darkness and hope they were strong enough to over come simple Heartless lackey to be able to think for one's self. The easiest way out would be to have a key to Kingdom Hearts, but since Shuku and Ashley were taken, their identities had become some what a legend. The Black Pearl, the ship Captain Jack Sparrow had, was some what of a legend as well—but it still existed!

A twisted smile came across Jack's face.

"Ya ear that? These two girls are the legendary key to Kingdom Hearts! I wonder a spell why this fair maiden had wings anchoring her down!" Jack said as his deck hands started closing in on Shuku and Ashley.

"We're a key…?" Ashley asked. Shuku saw that Ashley hadn't sprouted her wings yet. Shuku remembered a great deal when her wings came back. She could see that Ashley was still lost in a chain of memories.

"Yeah! We are! I remembered being fat-headed and noble about the occupation. But then again, we were safe in a guarded castle!" Shuku fretted. "I've made a boo-boo."

"I knew your mouth would get us into trouble!" Tidus said moving close to Shuku. Riku moved closed to Ashley to protect her.

"We're fine. We can take on anyone!" Shuku said, looking over to Ashley. "Right?"

"Of course." Ashley smiled, her hands surging with fire.

"Light them up!" Shuku instructed. Ashley seemed to go primitive and began throwing fire balls at random. Her Fira was intense. She started taking chunks out of the cruse ship and endangering civilians. Riku tried to intervene.

"Ashers," He said her nickname to be casual. Riku was careful not to scare her. "You need to control yourself."

She wasn't aware of her surroundings. Ashley focused on Shuku's words. Light them up. Was that all she did in her past? Did she take the orders of Shuku? Ashley wanted to know about the figure she couldn't name. She wanted the wings that Shuku had got before her.

Shuku watched the flames spread up her arms. Shuku put her hand on her head, sighing.

"What is it?" Tidus asked. "Isn't this what you wanted?" Debris flew past them. Shuku pointed at Ashley.

"Riku, look at her arms." Shuku said. Riku looked hard, but didn't notice the small details like Shuku did.

"So?" Riku said apathetically.

"The fire is spreading up her body. Soon, it'll consume her like always."

"Why don't you just put her out like always?" Riku suggested.

"I can't! She's jumped to Fira now."

"That's stopping you! You've put her out before"

"I don't have Wateraga! I have to be a level above her in order to put her out! When I put her out in the Destiny Island Square, I had Watera and she only had Fire."

"Do we let her go crazy-like?" Tidus asked, watching her blaze spread.

"Abandon ship!" The captain ordered. Ashley snapped out of it, the flames leaving her hands. She looked around at the devastation that she caused. Ashley felt like she didn't have a grasp on her powers, but at least she managed to scare Captain Jack Sparrow and his crew back onto their ship. They made a quick retreat taking their material goods rather than the key to Kingdom Hearts. Ashley watched people run to life boats to escape her out of control powers. Ashley noticed a black cat with blue eyes that was very calm. The cat seemed to care less.

Ashley stroked the cat as Shuku, Tidus, and Riku were back on the stolen ship. Riku was at the wheel again, passing up Port Royal. Ashley, Shuku, and Tidus sat close to Riku while listening to the sea.

"I remembered a lot since we last saw each other, Ashley." Shuku said. "I remembered our purpose." Ashley didn't care.

"Could you tell me about him?" She asked in a lost child manner.

"About who?"

"That's just it. The one who I see as 'Master'" Ashley said. Riku couldn't stomach to hear it, but he wanted to know who stole Ashley's heart away from his grasp.

"Oh, you mean Xehanort." Ashley's eyes lit up. Riku looked away. The name struck a nerve.

"Xehanort…" She repeated. "I feel sad when I hear that name."

"You should." Riku scoffed. Shuku sneered. She wasn't fond of Riku anyhow.

"What's your problem? Xehanort was a brilliant man, kind teacher, and you-could-say lover to Ashley—and myself." She smiled a bit at her last statement. Riku looked to Ashley. He didn't want to be the one to tell her about Xehanort, but would guarantee a spot in her heart. Once factoring that in, the choice was easy to make.


	8. Chapter Seven Truth

**Kingdom Hearts II The Untold Chronicles**

**Chapter Seven – Truth**

"Shuku, you did say you two are the key to Kingdom Hearts?" Riku asked.

"Of course we are. Ashley just hasn't sprouted her wings yet. As you can see, I have mine." Shuku bragged.

"Yes, yes. I know the bearers of the key are branded with wings." Riku said.

"And?"

"The Kingdom Millennia Crystal is in your bones so it can't be extracted."

"Good boy. But how do you know so much about it?"

"Jack was right. The key is legend, but everyone thought it was just that. You two were forgotten when Organization XIII stole you two from the castle." Riku said. Shuku glared. Riku knew what had happened to them and hadn't come forward until now. She was pissed, but not too pissed to listen.

"We were taken… Master tried to save me…" Ashley's eyes filled with water.

"Whoa, slow down, Ashley. Don't start the waterworks yet. Riku, you got some explaining to do." Shuku threatened.

"Two years ago the key, you two, went missing with out a trace. The only lead we _did _have was a rumor that Organization XIII might have been behind the theft. It wasn't until half a year ago; I went undercover and infiltrated Organization XIII's labs." Riku said.

"Didn't you see us?" Shuku asked, wondering why he didn't help them.

"No. You guys were locked up tight. Stupid lackeys of Organization XIII boasted about how well the key research was going and that once they had extracted the key from your bodies—they would end you both. King Mickey made it top priority to shut down Organization XIII and get the key back. I was taken away from the lab facilities to be the king's body guard. Then I just never got around to it."

"You left us for dead?" Shuku was becoming enraged.

"I was reunited with Sora. I wanted to sit back and chill with Kairi, the girl who I thought loved me. Could you blame me for wanting the simple life for a change?" Riku sighed, looking down to Ashley. This part of the story wouldn't be what would break her heart.

"You said… Theft. Are we not people now?" Ashley asked Riku, hurt.

"She makes a point. I wasn't that focused on your terms of words—but theft? We were kidnapped!" Shuku shouted. Riku handed over the wheel to Tidus.

"Could you navigate west for me?" Riku asked, unable to concentrate.

"Sure." Tidus said.

"Look, if I had known that the key was invested into you two, I would have done something about it." Riku said.

"Shuku, tell me about Xehanort. It might help me jog my memories." Ashley asked. A smile came to her face when she said Xehanort. Riku winced.

"Ashley… It's best if she doesn't tell you." Riku said.

"Why not? I only have pleasant memories with our master." Shuku stated.

"I want to find him. Once we find Sora, we'll go to him." Ashley said.

He held back his anger. Ashley was falling out of love with him. He had to act quickly. Shuku was manipulating her with bias memories. Riku didn't want to mess up his approach but his anger was going to make him act unprofessional about it.

"Xehanort is dead!" Riku shouted. "He died sometime ago…" His voice softened.

"He what?" Shuku couldn't believe it. She didn't want to see the toll of the words on Ashley.

"Shuku, I thought you remembered. You didn't know he died?"

"We were locked up at the time, stupid!" Shuku argued.

"Riku, what happened?" Ashley asked.

"Some traumatic event caused Xehanort to give his heart to darkness two years ago. He gave up the name Xehanort and called himself Ansem. He became a Heartless and Sora had to vanquish him." Riku said. "Strange thing is… I knew Xehanort very well. When he wanted to put the worlds into darkness, I worked with him. I, too, submitted my heart to darkness."

"Oh, I see." Ashley said with tears streaming. "It's a shame I couldn't say goodbye."

"The traumatic event had to be us being taken away from him." Shuku said. Riku nodded.

"Without a doubt. He never told me _why_ he submitted his heart to darkness. But I caught him many times watching fires. And now I know why…" Shuku smirked.

"Heh, she was always his favorite even though Master babied me more than her." Shuku said. Ashley stood up and slumped away. "You shouldn't have told her." Shuku said when Ashley was out of sight.

"She has a right to know." Riku used as an excuse.

"I suppose your right." Shuku said.

"Aren't you sad about Xehanort?" Riku asked.

"Nah. In times like these I'll probably see him again." Shuku said. Riku thought about it.

"Do you mind, once we leave this world, if we could head north-west?"

"I don't mind. Why do you ask?"

"There is an underworld 'guardian' I need to speak with. Maybe he could let Ashley say her goodbye."

"I wouldn't do that." Shuku warned. "It could be the death of her. If she saw Xehanort and was unable to have him, it would tear her to pieces—unless that's what you want! So you can be a shoulder to cry on!" Riku didn't deny it or confirm it. Shuku gave her famous catty grin. "That's a horrible thing to do to a girl's heart. But all is fair in love in war, right?" She nudged Riku, egging him on. Shuku could tell that Riku liked Ashley a lot. And now that Xehanort had been introduced into the picture Riku wanted to still better his chances. It would be a disaster in the history of love if Ashley left Riku for a dead man.

"You're always behind." Xehanort said to Ashley. Ashley was reliving one of her memories. It was a rare event since she believed she was unable to use her psychic powers on herself. Perhaps, she was just starting to remember her side of the story.

"I am not!" She pouted.

"You're cute when you pout." He smiled at her.

"If some one, other than Shuku, were to find out what was going on between us, would you get in trouble?" Ashley asked snuggling close to Xehanort.

"If the king found out, he'd have my head."

"I don't want him to ever know!"

"He won't, my sweet." Xehanort touched her cheek. They shared a kiss. There was an explosion.

Riku touched Ashley, waking her from the self-induced coma. She jumped.

"What were you thinking about?" Riku asked, sitting next to her. Ashley realized she was in her quarters, sitting on her bed.

"I can't remember everything like Shuku can. Riku, forgive me. I know that's why you're here." She looked away.

"It's okay. I'll take you to see him. It's all I can do to ease your pain." Riku put his arm around her. Ashley felt dirty.

"You'd do that for me? Even when I told you I'm in love with this person?" Ashley slanted her head. It was like a fairy tale to her.

"What are friends for?" Riku smiled to comfort her.

"I've betrayed you for this figure in my past! Don't you hate me?" Ashley's eyes were wide.

"You didn't know better and that's the truth." Riku said. Ashley put her arms around Riku.

"I knew I believed in you for a reason." Ashley said. Riku's heart skipped a beat. He stroked her head as she drifted to sleep, her head in his lap.

The party left the ship on a random spot of land. Riku pointed at a rectangular space ship. Like greedy children, they booted out the passengers and hijacked the ship. The space ship was part of a long line of ships to travel across the worlds called Gummi ships. From pirates of the sea, they turned into pirates of air and space. It was still Ashley's idea even though she sank into a mild depression.

Ashley, overall, had been acting suspicious. She wore a cloak all the time since her little talk with Riku. She refused to take off her eye patch in the Gummi ship when asked to. Shuku was becoming worried about Ashley. Shuku gathered Tidus and Riku to have a secret meeting, without her.

They drank instant coffee as they were all awoken from their slumber by an alarm clock. They sat at a plain circle table in the Gummi ship's 'break room'.

"Still so difficult to know if it's day or night in space…" Tidus groaned.

"Riku, do you notice something different about Ashley?" Shuku sipped in between words. Riku licked his lips.

"Well… She's been pretty distant lately. She's be looking out the windows of the Gummi for hours at a time. It's been three days already, and almost four, yet she hasn't taken off her cloak not even to go to sleep. It's cute but the cloak is getting kind of stinky." Riku smiled a little.

"She purposely stepped on my foot. I think she broke my pinky toe." Tidus said. Shuku pondered.

"Strange, I told her to stop the pirate gig and take of the patch. She took a swing at me. Luckily, I avoided it and told her to stop horse playing." Shuku threw onto the table. "This is strange indeed."

"Has she ever acted like this?" Tidus asked.

"Of course! She doesn't have people skills. But she's _never_ acted this way towards me." Shuku said.

"What do you think is wrong?" Riku asked.

"Well, I was going to ask you that, Riku. She started acting this way after you were with her." Shuku implied it was Riku's fault. He scoffed.

"Maybe if you taught her people skills she wouldn't be this way!" He countered. Shuku stood up slamming her hands on the table.

"Maybe you broke her heart again!" Shuku accused.

"WELL MAYBE SHE BROKE MINE!" All was quiet. Riku had lost his temper. "No one has even thought about how I feel, about this. It's always about how _she_ feels. Or what's wrong with her! I give her credit because she doesn't remember her past, but this is just walking over me! And you do it to Shuku."

"I don't walk over you!" Shuku calmed her voice, but it still had a kick to it.

"Ugh! Fine. Whatever. You two are stupid. We wouldn't be in this mess if it weren't for you two!" Riku crossed his arms, the anger still building.

"I knew it!" Ashley stood in the door way. "I just knew it!"

"It's not like that." Riku said, not even looking at her. "You're gonna get all fussy over this. My words are pointed at the situation. And you two are still stupid."

"Aw snap." Shuku said moving her chair away. "This is going to get uuggglllyyy." She said, taking her coffee with her.

"Should I move?" Tidus asked.

"If you don't wanna get hurt…" Shuku watched, sipping her coffee.

"Damn you, Riku!" Ashley turned, and stormed away. Shuku almost dropped her cup.

"Well, this is interesting. Right then, she would have kicked your ass to kingdom come. She must really be depressed."

"I know…" Riku said, confused. "I was ready to do battle."

Ashley hurried in a corner filling trash bags with black matter. There was knocking at her door, but the door was locked.

"Just a moment!" Ashley panicked. She tied up the four trash bags then opened the door. It was Riku.

"I was little out of line earlier." He had come to apologize. Ashley sighed with relief as if he had come to do something else. "But you have been acting weird!"

"I suppose…" Ashley said, sounding distant. Riku wanted to punch her.

"We called lots of places of where Sora could be. We got in contact with Hollow Bastion an hour ago. Fortunately, Sora was still hanging out there being a procrastinator as usual. Shuku told Sora to meet us at the Underworld Entrance. Then she stayed on the video-phone with him for a while. I think they are catching up…" Riku explained. "So, what were you up to?"

"Spring cleaning."

"Oh." Riku said. "Can I help?"

"Alright." Ashley said. "How far are we from the Underworld?"

"We have a few more hours." Riku said.

"Well I have four trash bags, two for each of us." Ashley pointed them out.

Riku and Ashley went to the trash compactor located next an S.O.S pod dock. They stuffed the trash bags into the compactor and watched as they faded away. Soon, the dock door opened, and the remains of the trash bags were shot out into space. Ashley watched the stars float by.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Riku smiled to her. Ashley pulled off her eye patch, but her left eye was sealed shut. Riku's brows began to fall. Ashley watched the patch with her 'good eye'. She began to cry, the tears only flowing from her right eye. Riku didn't know what to do when Ashley started to wail in turmoil. He pulled her close and held her as she threw the patch to the floor. She clutched Riku tightly and he clutched her back. He could feel more bulk on her. Riku didn't want to say anything about her putting on pounds. He guessed that's why she was crying. Riku asked anyways. "What's wrong, Ashley…?" Her words rang true.

"I'm royally fuc…"

They were there. They all got off the stolen Gummi ship and had stood in front of the Underworld Entrance. Sora was already there waiting. He waved to Shuku and she waved back shyly.

"Ashley, you ready?" Shuku asked, holding her hand. She nodded solemnly.

They proceeded into the Underworld, fighting off monsters to get to Hades' Chambers. And there he was. Calm and cool, being his blue self. Hades put on a smile.

"Ah Riku, my favorite Heartless, what brings you here?" He asked.

"I need a favor, Hades. And you owe me BIG." Riku said with no emotion.

"I, the Lord of the Underworld, owe _you_ a favor? Haha, kid. Your funny. You made me laugh and you should leave with that." Hades said, sitting down into a chair.

"I nearly hand fed you Xehanort's soul!" Riku reminded. Hades sneered.

"Look kid, death was coming for that guy if you had become a Heartless or not. I don't owe you squat." Hades turned. Ashley walked forward with Shuku.

"Please, I beg of you. Please show me Xehanort. Just to… Say goodbye." Ashley pleaded. Hades eyes widened.

"The key!" He exclaimed. "Even I thought you two were dead!"

"Yeah well, we bypassed death." Shuku smarted off.

"You two, _do_ know you aren't supposed to be in the same place?" Hades stood up in a cloud of black smoke. They stepped back. "For example if some one like, little ol' me wanted to open the door to Kingdom Hearts to take all the ripe pickings for minions… I'd be able to because I have the lock _and_ key." Hades looked at them with wide eyes.

"You wouldn't dare, you low-life!" Sora said ready to summon his Key blade.

"Yeah we know." Shuku boasted. "But we don't really care. Show my friend Xehanort." Ashley coughed violently.

"Please… I don't have much time left." Ashley said. Shuku was alarmed.

"You're going to die?" Shuku's eyes started to burn with tears.

"She's not going to die. I can tell you that much." Hades said. "Well, I suppose I can do just one favor for Riku." Hades said, heading out of his room.

"What's wrong with you?" Riku asked Ashley.

"I don't wanna talk about it!" She yelled, quickly following Hades.

Hades lead them to the River of the Dead, Styx. Hades reached his hand in, feeling around for a while.

"Nope. Nope. No way. Negative. Man this guy is hard to find." Hades said. "Bingo." Hades pulled up Xehanort. And he appeared the way he did before he was a Heartless. Ashley pushed Shuku into Sora. Sora caught her, keeping her from falling.

"Ashley! What's with you?" Shuku said unable to believe that Ashley would deliberately hurt her.

"Xehanort…" Ashley walked to him. "Why did you have to die?"

"Why did you have to leave me?" Xehanort asked.

"I didn't want to go." She reached for his tented green figure. Her hands went through him. "I didn't want to go."

Riku, Tidus, Sora, and Shuku watched the soap opera unfold from the side lines.

"Don't you like her, kid?" Hades whispered into Riku's ear.

"Yes. But this must be done to get it out of her system so then we can…" Riku turned red.

"You know you can never replace Xehanort in her heart." Hades filled Riku's head with lies.

"I'm past your mind games." Riku said, putting his hands behind his back.

"Xehanort, I'm afraid you'll be ashamed of what I've become." Ashley looked down.

"I'll love you no matter what." Xehanort said. "You're my inspiration to love you for eternity…" Ashley winced and removed her cloak. Everyone gasped. Shuku fainted.

It was quite obvious why she was acting so weird. Her wings had come back. Well, in this case _wing_. Not only did one wing come back to her, it was tainted black.

The wing was spouting from her left side. She slowly opened her left eye and her pupils were cat like and her iris was aqua blue.

"Look what has become of me! What am I supposed to do? I don't have the power of the key anymore… I don't know what to do!" Ashley cried to Xehanort. "Please help me, I…" Ashley began coughing again. She opened her mouth wide and coughed harder. Blood rolled down her chin as something big was lodged in her throat. She gave one final cough. And she coughed out her half the Kingdom Millennia Crystal. All eyes became wide and Shuku was coming back from fainting.

"My love!" Xehanort called out. He couldn't bear to see her in pain. "There is only one person who can help you now. You must go see him. You must go see Sephiroth. It is your destiny as an One Winged Angel. He will determine if you were meant to have two wings like Shuku, or be cursed with your one wing—incomplete and filled with malice."

"Where can I find him?" Ashley was pleased to know that she wasn't alone.

"Hallow Bastion, The Grand Maw. He waits there all day and all night for Cloud."

"That's enough!" Hades said pushing Xehanort back into the River Styx.

"Ashley!" Xehanort reached for her. She smiled back.

"I'll be alright now, farewell." Her lip quivered. He was gone. Hades turned red with anger.

"You don't ever go see Sephiroth! He's eluded me for too long!" Hades yelled.

"Seems like you care…" Sora smarted off. Hades turned back blue regaining his composer.

"Ashley…? Is this why you've been acting this way?" Shuku asked, walking towards her. Ashley turned her back to Shuku.

"Xehanort may have favored me, but I'd rather have destiny favor me like it favors you!" Ashley said to Shuku. Shuku stopped advancing.

"You don't have to do this alone…" Riku offered.

"I know it's my destiny. I wasn't cut out for this job after all…" Ashley said with a sigh. "O Bahamut, I summon you. Fulfill your obligation to me and appear before this spiritual offering! Incrementum Incendium Deus!" The fire beast rose and Ashley mounted Bahamut's head, riding bare back.

"Where are you going?" Riku didn't want her to go.

"Shuku… I'm so sorry." She said as she pulled Bahamut's mane. "KYAAH!" She called and Bahamut sank into the ground, taking Ashley with him. She was gone to find her destiny.

"Don't be sorry, you idiot! If you were really sorry you wouldn't leave!" Shuku yelled at the floor. Her voice echoed. It was an awkward moment. "That bitch thinks she can up and leave me with the responsibility to Kingdom Hearts, she's got another thing coming!" Shuku said grabbing Ashley's half of the Kingdom Millennia Crystal.

"What are we going to do?" Sora asked. Everyone was pretty confused about what happened.

"We're going to find that bitch, and shove this crystal back down her throat!" Shuku shouted at the floor again.


	9. Chapter Eight The Descent

**Kingdom Hearts II – The Untold Chronicles**

**Chapter Eight – The Descent **

"To The Grand Maw." Ashley said to herself as Bahamut was being very obedient. She rode at a slow pace, in no hurry to seal her fate. She felt as if the whole world had turned against her. Ashley didn't know what she did to deserve the cruel hand dealt to her.

Ashley was dressed in a suspicious manner. She wore a black Muslim hijahb and she wrapped it tight around her face only exposing her maroon and aqua eyes. Ashley also wore a long black cloak of cotton. She was wandering in a desert terrain. The brown of the desert started to meld into lavender, with tall lavender tinted lime stone cliffs. Bahamut gave a wail. He was uncomfortable with continuing. Ashley nodded and climbed down Bahamut's side. She let the summon go and Bahamut slid back into the ground. Bahamut even looked worried. Ashley sighed.

She walked up the cliffs with a hunch to where Sephiroth could be. The cliff path became narrower and narrower. She pressed her back against the cliff to walk to rest of the narrow path. Ashley was shaky, afraid she'd fall to her death. Her one wing couldn't save her from the fall. She looked down a bit just to be sure how far she'd fall. It was quite a drop. She slammed her back against the wall, her breathing becoming labored. She was terrified and alone. Why did she have to do it alone? She sucked it up and moved onward. But there was a slip. She fell vertically, she managed to turn herself around. Her right hand grabbed the ledge. Her fingers could not support all of her weight. Ashley watched her fingers slowly slipping.

There was a ripping through her side. Strong arms snatched her from the cliff. Her hijahb went flying. She tried to look at who had grabbed her. All she had to go on was blonde hair. They went down the cliff, landing back where Ashley had started.

"Damn it!" Ashley cursed. "I needed to go up there! I needed to see if _he_ was there!"

"You're welcome." He said, turning his back exposing a large sword.

"I didn't thank you!" Ashley shouted.

"You would have when he had ripped you from your mouth to your ass." He walked down a path, opposite of The Grand Maw. Ashley looked back then forward. She followed the man keeping her distance.

Ashley followed him all the way into town, Hollow Bastion. He led her to the court yard. He stopped.

"Stop following me." He warned.

"My name is Ashley and I need to talk to the one called Sephiroth." Cloud's ears rang with spite.

"No, you don't." He responded.

"Help me up the summit to The Grand Maw." Ashley ordered.

"Why do you need to see him so badly?" Cloud, turned and made eye contact. He gasped unaware that Ashley looked the way she did. "Your eye…"

"Don't look at it. Just, take me to him!" Ashley covered her eye with her hand.

"Your eye looks lust like his…" Cloud murmured. Cloud grabbed her hand pulling her down a flight of stairs. "You're coming with me."

"I need to see The One Winged Angel!" Ashley shouted, allowing him to pull her anyways.

"He's not an angel. He is a demon. And you'll end up the same if I don't do something about it." Cloud said. A total stranger, but he was bent on turning Ashley back to her former glory. Maybe she wouldn't have to face this alone. But she shut her left eye just in case we were to be shown like cattle. Her left eye brought her great shame and her one wing reminded her of the defects she possessed.

"Go on. Show Aerith." Cloud commanded. Ashley shook her head no. Cloud raised his hand as if he were to back hand her. Ashley flinched and Cloud wanted that. "Show her!" They were at Merlin's house. Tifa threw a punch at Cloud, landing right upside his head. "OW!"

"She's scared, Cloud. That's not how you treat some one who is scared." Tifa instructed.

"Is that your name?" Ashley said, with her left eye still closed tight.

"Yeah…" He said.

"Well 'Cloud'… You suck!" Ashley said. Cloud made a grab at her. She ducked away. Cloud sighed.

"Could you please, open your eye?" Cloud asked kindly. Ashley thought it over.

She cracked her left eye then opened it slowly. Her eyes went over the room, looking around at the strange things on the walls. "See?"

"Oh dear." Aerith said. "Looks just like his…" Cloud, Tifa, and Aerith began talking amongst themselves.

"I already know I look like him. Now, Cloud, take me to him so I can see if it really is my destiny." Ashley said.

"We agree that this could be a discoloration of your eye, but since you insist on seeing him, there is something else we most see." Cloud said. "Take off your cloak."

"No! Why should I?" Ashley was nervous.

"You got something to hide?" Cloud asked, taking a step towards her.

"N-No." She lied, taking a step away.

"Then take off the cloak." Cloud said again. Ashley tried to make a break for the door, but she felt Cloud grab the bottom of her cloak. He whipped it off with no effort. "Holy shit! Tifa, detain her before she gets away!" It was an easy task. Tifa put Ashley's hands behind her back and turned her towards Cloud. "Did you think I'd let you win that easily, Sephiroth?"

"You fool… You're blinded by hate. All I want to know is why I'm becoming like this. I am no spawn or seed of Sephiroth's. But as one who _has_ one wing, he would know what is wrong with me…" Ashley tried to reason.

"Tifa, take her to the Restoration Site and keep her held in that area." Cloud said. Ashley couldn't believe it. This would be a task she would have to do alone…

The Gummi was quiet. Everyone was gathered around the break room table. It was an awkward moment of silence. The silence felt that some one was supposed to say something encouraging but nothing came to anyone's mouth. Sora would be the first to break the silence.

"Riku… You okay?" Sora asked. He was always worried about Riku. Riku turned his head away from Sora.

"I'm fine."

"I'm not!" Shuku ranted. "We all know whose fault this is!" She glared at Riku.

"Here we go…" Tidus sighed.

"What do you mean, 'Here we go'? This was _coming_! This has happened one other time. And that one other time was when I kissed Xehanort. Her wings turned black with spite and malice!" Shuku said.

"So? Doesn't that pretty much pin the blame on _you_?" Riku snarled.

"Ashley wouldn't like it if you talked to me that way." Shuku reminded. Riku's nasty face left but his anger remained. "Her black feathers show the spite she's harboring for you, Riku. The one wing, I don't even know what that's about."

"Maybe, she's angry at you for a change?" Riku suggested.

"She could never be angry at me. We've been though too much." Shuku countered.

"Maybe she remembered you making out with her lover. And she is suddenly uncomfortable with the notion!" Riku said. Shuku glared.

"How can you say that with a straight face, Riku? Her lover—not being you—how can you bring yourself to say it with out crying like a CHILD!" Shuku yelled.

"That's enough, you two!" Sora refereed. "This is getting us no where. Let's sum up the facts." Sora suggested. Tidus instantly threw down a large piece of white paper and a thick black marker. "Alright, Shuku. You start first."

"Um, Ashley loves Xehanort." Shuku said. Sora shook his head no.

"Love is intangible and to prove that her love for Xehanort still exists is hard." Sora said. "But Tidus put that under something like, 'Possibilities.'" Sora said.

"You saw how she acted at Styx! You can't deny that she's doesn't love him anymore." Shuku reasoned.

"True…" Tidus stepped in. "But we were all watching her. Maybe there was something she wasn't doing, or something she was hiding—other than the fact that she was defective."

"Don't call her defective! She's just confused!" Riku defended. Sora snapped his fingers.

"That is a fact! Ashley is very confused and she would have been at the sight of her one wing. That's why she chose to hide it. She didn't know how we would react." Sora said.

"Wait! Confusion would mean inner turmoil, right?" Shuku said. Sora nodded his head. "Oh dear god."

"What is it?" Riku was concerned.

"Oh my god." Shuku held her head. She took the marker from Tidus and wrote it out quickly while explaining. "It's _fact_ that Ashley loves Xehanort. It is also _fact_ that she loves Riku—as much as I'd hate to say. In her confusion, she did something similar to what we're doing. But when she wrote it out in her mind she used symbols. I know she would. She's so simple she wouldn't want to make it harder on her self… Are you guys following me?" Shuku had written Riku and Xehanort on the paper, after scribbling out the diagrams of Sora and Tidus.

"Yes, I understand." Sora said. Riku and Tidus nodded.

"Ashley did a process of association at some pointed between the cruise ship and a few days ago. It was probably after she learned of Xehanort's death—thank you Riku."

"Shut up." Riku said.

"Chances are, she associated Xehanort with the light and Riku with the darkness. Since she yearned to be in both the light and the darkness, she didn't know how to compromise—so the Kingdom Millennia Crystal did it _for_ her. It started to become concentrated in one side of her body—the side that appears normal, leaving her left side vulnerable to be submitted to the darkness." Shuku drew the half of the crystal on the paper. "She was able to be in both worlds."

"Why did she cough out the crystal?"

"Why else would you throw something up? It was making her left half sick with its purity. That's not a good sign either. That means the darkness in her is growing stronger and she can't control it anymore." Riku covered his mouth.

"What have I done? I've condemned her!" Riku was taken by guilt.

"What are you talking about?" Shuku capped the marker.

"She cried to me the day before. She took off her eye patch and cried so hard. I thought it was because she put on weight when it was her wing I was feeling." Riku ran his fingers through his locks..

"So you admit it was your fault?" Shuku wanted sweet justice.

"…Yes, Shuku. It's my fault." Riku said. She jumped up and pointed in his face.

"I TOLD YOU SO!" Shuku sat back down. "Since that's finished, I can forgive you , Riku. But what you just told me, she might have known she was losing the battle of light and dark."

"That poor girl is tittering in the middle. And if we don't do something, she'll submit to Sephiroth and become like him." Sora said. Shuku stopped writing and looked at what she had done. All arrows pointed to the name Sephiroth.

Ashley was kept in a small cage. It was barely enough room for her wing. She watched Tifa pace back and forth.

"Miss Tifa, are you okay…?" Ashley asked.

"Yes I'm fine, but Cloud was acting strange a while ago. I seriously didn't want to do this." Tifa kneeled down eye level with Ashley. "So how did this happen?"

"I suppose it happened because I couldn't make up my mind over light or darkness. Or to be with Riku or Xehanort…"

"Isn't he dead?" Tifa questioned. It seemed like everyone but Ashley already knew what had happened to Xehanort.

"Yes, he is."

"Shouldn't that make the choice easy? I know Riku. He hangs out with Sora, right?" Tifa sat down next to the cage, relaxing.

"Yeah, Riku does." Ashley put her hands on the bars, looking like a jail bird.

"Heh, even though Riku submitted himself to the darkness, it was all for Sora's sake. Riku is the most courageous person I know, other than Cloud." Tifa smiled at Ashley. Ashley believed she had made a mistake to try and be more like Riku's former self.

"I've burdened him so much…" Ashley bowed her head. "You've helped me decide what I'm going to do."

"What are you going to do, huh?"

"Rid Riku of this burden. If I submit to the darkness he'll forget about me." Ashley's reasoning was becoming tainted.

"I don't think that would make Riku fo—Gyaah!" Tifa was broadsided on her neck causing her to fall unconscious. Ashley looked over.

A tall platinum-haired man stood before her. He was dressed in an all black tailored suit. He possessed the legendary Masamune. A fall at his hands would mean death for all eternity. Most importantly, he donned a single black wing. His blue eyes looked at Ashley.

"I knew you'd be some where in this place." His voice was calming. Ashley didn't say anything. "They have my prize locked away. Duck down." He told. Ashley lowered her body and Sephiroth took a graceful swing. He grabbed the top of the cage and threw it off like it was a feather. The steel landed on the ground making a square crater. He held his hand down to her.

Ashley reached up and took it, sliding through the now flimsy bars. Sephiroth sheathed his sword. He grabbed her face with his thumb and forefinger.

"Sephiroth…?" She asked.

"The one and only. I had a feeling you'd come to see me." He said looking her face over. "Say 'Ahhh'" Sephiroth said. Ashley did was she was told and opened her mouth. "You're starting to get your fangs. I'm excited." He smiled. Ashley snapped her head away feeling around in her mouth with her finger.

"I was sent here to see you. I have to know… Am I destined to end up like you…?" Ashley asked.

"Don't flatter yourself. Your other wing will come back in due time. Don't compare your short comings with my own because my short comings by far out weight yours." He said turning towards the Restoration Site's exit.

"So… I'm not falling into the darkness?" Ashley was relieved.

"I didn't say that."

"Oh…" That didn't last long.

"I can see you coughed out the crystal that was supposed to be in your bones." Sephiroth commented.

"Yeah…." Ashley trailed. "Are we going to do this or not?"

"Do what?" Sephiroth wanted her to say it.

"Are you going to take me to the darkness, or what?" Ashley grumbled. Sephiroth put his arm around her leading her out of the Restoration Site.

"I'll do that for you, but first there is some one I want you to meet." Sephiroth smirked about to open a can of trouble.

"She's in Hollow Bastion?" Shuku yelled at the monitor. Cloud nodded.

"Apparently, she's already gone with Sephiroth. They ambushed Tifa." Cloud said.

"Is Tifa okay?" Shuku asked. Shuku didn't know Tifa but she could tell by the way everyone talked about Sephiroth; he had a bad reputation of putting people six feet under.

"Yeah, she's fine. Sephiroth's beef is with me and no one else." Cloud said.

"Did you just say, 'beef'?" Sora questioned.

"You know what I mean. I suggest you guess kick it into over drive and get here as fast as you can. She looked like she had a fighting chance to return to the light." Cloud said and cut off the signal.

"I hate it when he does that." Sora said.

"Tidus, set course for Hollow Bastion!" Shuku commanded.

"Yes ma'am!" Tidus saluted to try and lighten the mood. Shuku smiled.

"Sora, do you know where Riku went?" Shuku asked.

"He's sulking." He said.

"I see. Well go tell him we're going to Hollow Bastion, please." She instructed.

Sora went to a guest quarter that Riku had claimed his own. Sora knocked on the door.

"Yes?" Riku said.

"We found her." Sora said, putting his ear to the door.

"I'll be waiting to arrive. Thanks, Sora."

"Are you crying?" Sora teased.

"…Yes I am." Riku answered. Sora wasn't being serious, but he was shocked that Riku was honest about that. Sora had never seen Riku cry. The thought of Riku crying was just nonsense to him.

"Why?" Sora asked.

"This is all my fault. I did this to her. I should have left her for dead that day."

"Riku, it's not your fault. You did what was right. And you're going to do the right thing again." Sora said, pulling his head away from the door. "Well get some rest, we'll be there soon. And if Sephiroth is really involved you're going to need that energy." Sora walked away. Riku watched space from a window in the room.

"If there is a god, please… Bring her back to me in one piece." He prayed aloud…


	10. Chapter Nine The Awakening

**Kingdom Hearts II The Untold Chronicles**

**Chapter Nine – The Awakening**

Sephiroth guided Ashley to the peak of The Grand Maw. The area was pretty boring. Nothing caught her eye until she reached the summit. A girl with red hair and a black spaghetti strap mini-dress stood at the edge. She turned. It was Kairi. Ashley glared.

"I'd like you to meet Kairi." Sephiroth said. "She used your anger and malice to open a door for the Heartless on her island. She proved herself worthy by doing so, but I was more interested in your abilities. Your hidden rage for humanity is just gorgeous." Sephiroth said into Ashley's ear, his fingers resting on her shoulders. Ashley was starting to burn up on the inside. Kairi had used her. Not to mention everyone was blaming Riku for the sudden infestation of Heartless on Destiny Island when it was really her doing. It was the perfect plan. Kairi could be innocent and manipulate those that would allow her close enough because of it. Then, she could just blame Riku for all the Heartless. Ashley clenched her fist.

"What's wrong, Ashley?" Kairi smirked. Her eyes were yellow like a Heartless. Ashley didn't want to say. "Did I cause you and Riku to be at each other's throats the whole time? Ever since I kissed him he's been unforgettable." Kairi taunted.

"I wouldn't do that." Sephiroth warned. Kairi hissed.

"Like I care! I've been waiting to give her a piece of my mind. She doesn't scare me anymore with my newly acquired power of the darkness!" Kairi said. She walked towards Ashley with an attitude. "So you think you can beat me up? Open a can of whoop-ass on me? Well I got news for you; you stood a chance at Destiny Island. You should have killed me with that fire ball when you had the chance. But now, you don't have a chance in hell!" Kairi laughed. That laughing. It was what they all heard when they were sinking into the Heartless portals.

"That's it bitch, it's ON now." Ashley said, gently removing Sephiroth's hands from her shoulders. "Thank you for bringing me to her. Now I can settle an old score with this hooker."

"You gonna name call me to death?" Kairi mocked. Slowly, from Ashley's right side, a wing slid out. It was white. Ashley looked like a Yin and Yang symbol. She glared. Kairi could feel the power surging through the ground. Kairi couldn't back out now. Like Ashley said, it was 'ON'.

"Fight her." Sephiroth channeled into Ashley's mind. "Fight her with all your heart. Kill her if you must. You must teach that filthy skank a lesson, don't you? Become angry. I want to see what you can really do!" Ashley rushed Kairi and grabbed her face with her right hand. Ashley shot Kairi into the air. With a strong flap of her wings, Ashley was airborne.

Kairi crossed her forearms over each other in an X fashion to block Ashley's on coming attack. Ashley punched Kairi with great force, sending her backward. Kairi floated in mid air to combat with Ashley.

"Heh, not bad. Try this on for size! Ultima Cannon!" Kairi held her hand down as four casting circles went around her arm. She shot a mighty blast of blue light from her hand right at Ashley. Ashley dodged out the way. Kairi took another shot at her. Ashley knew she wouldn't be able to make it away in time. Kairi could see that and she smirked. "This was too easy!"

"Firagun no Enbu Firagun Rings!" Ashley threw out a fleet of fire rings. They were colored blue because the fire was so intense. The attack was similar to Cactar's 1000 Needles. Kairi was knocked out the sky as the sky turned vivid blue from the rings raining down at The Grand Maw. It was a noticeable site from the town.

"There is a battle at The Grand Maw!" Yuffie came shooting in from outside. Everyone turned. Everyone being: Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, Shuku, Tidus, Sora, Sid, and Riku (damn a lot of people).

"Then what are we standing around for?" Shuku shouted. "Let's get going!"

They all rushed to the flat piece of land over looking the Ansem the Wise's castle. Shuku's heart throbbed. She couldn't bring herself to move forward. Even though she could see Ashley in the distance, the castle was bothering her.

"You okay, Shuku?" Sora asked. Shuku nodded.

"Sorry. It's just that, this is where Xehanort raised us…"

"Really?" Riku asked.

"Yes."

"Do you think Ashley noticed?" Riku was quite curious.

"Not by the looks of it! Look at that!" Shuku pointed up to the sky.

Ashley was flapping her black and white wings. Ashley was looking down at Kairi on the ground, smoking from her Firagun attack.

"She got her other wing back…" Shuku said, but she sounded confused.

"So she's not going to end up like Sephiroth after all, but this is weird…" Cloud said.

"You guys! She's beating up on Kairi!" Sora shouted, watching Ashley swoop down and throw out more Firagun based attacks.

"Firagun Arrow!" Ashley crafted a bow and arrow out of the blue fire. She let Kairi have it with waves of Firagun Arrows. "You'll pay for what you did to me! You'll pay with your _life_!" Sephiroth smiled. That's what he wanted to see. Ashley would be a great asset to taking over Kingdom Hearts. Even though she didn't have the crystal in her body anymore, Sephiroth believed that she had what it takes to open Kingdom Hearts.

"She's going to kill Kairi!" Sora shouted. Shuku glared at Sora for caring about Kairi.

"Let her do it." Shuku said, crossing her arms. "I don't feel any bad vibes from Kairi dying."

"You're making that up!" Sora said.

"Yeah? What if I am?" Shuku was pissed. Riku rushed forward to save Kairi.

"Don't!" Riku called out, jumping in front of Kairi with his arms spread to protect her. Ashley looked hard at Riku.

"Riku?" She eased herself to the ground. "Riku, stand aside!" Ashley ordered. Sephiroth walked towards Ashley. He wouldn't have Riku ruin his plans for his new prodigy. Kairi raised her weak hand for Sephiroth.

"Help me…" She said to Sephiroth. Sephiroth stepped his shiny black boot on her hand. He grinded his boot, deep. Kairi yelled out in pain.

"You are no use to me, anymore. You got your 'ass handed to you', if that _is_ the expression. I knew you would. You have no idea what the power of true darkness can do to a person. Ashley is so close, she can probably taste it." Sephiroth said. He laid his hand on Riku's shoulder to move him aside. With a gentle push of Sephiroth's hand, Riku went flying. Riku skidded on the ground before coming to a halt, lifeless.

"God damn!" Shuku shouted. "Riku get up! You're the only one who can help her now! Pick your scrawny ass up and teach Sephiroth a lesson for letting him do that to you!" Sephiroth looked at Shuku. She looked back with stone cold eyes. "YEAH? What of it?" She shouted at Sephiroth with no fear.

"Ri-ku… Ri-ku… Ri-ku…" Aerith slowly started to chant. It slowly caught on with the others. Soon, everyone was chanting his name for him to get up.

"RIKU! RIKU! RIKU!" They all shouted. Sephiroth rolled his eyes.

"Are you ready to leave this place?" Sephiroth asked Ashley. She nodded.

"Y-You aren't going anywhere w-with her!" Riku was lop-sided but he was on his feet. The party cheered for him, giving wolf whistles and catty cries. It seemed like Riku was a stripper rather than a fighter the way they were going about cheering for him.

"Oww Owww! You show that man whose boss!" Shuku tried to pump him up.

"Stop it! Sephiroth will kill him!" Cloud said.

"Stay down, human. Or I'll do something to you that is a fate worse than death." Sephiroth didn't turn around to tell Riku that.

"I d-don't care. No fate is worse than being without her." Riku said. Sephiroth smiled. It was creepy.

"I'll make you eat those words, human." Sephiroth said. He whispered something into Ashley's ear. She lifted her hands and formed the Firagun Arrow. "One shot from her will end your life. Your magic cannot compete with hers. By the time you even cast Reflect it'll be too late."

Riku gulped. Sephiroth was right. He definitely made Riku eat his words. He never thought it would come to this. Being shot with an arrow by his love interest.

"Ashley, listen to me…" Riku began. Ashley fired a warning shot that whizzed past his head. She loaded another Firagun Arrow and took aim right between his eyes. "I came across many worlds to find you. Do you know why I did that…?" Ashley drew back ready to release and take Riku's head clear off. Riku was getting nervous. "I came because I'm your friend, and I love you."

"Dear god, he has a death wish. He just said 'friend' and 'I love you' in the same sentence. She's gonna kill him!" Shuku said, covering her eyes. Ashley lowered the bow made of fire.

"You what?" Ashley spoke. This was not pleasing Sephiroth. Shuku uncovered her eyes and smiled big. Ashley's left wing was turning white from the bottom up. The white slowly worked its way up her black wing.

"I said, I love you." Sephiroth didn't know what to say to make her turn her attention only towards him. Kairi struggled to her elbows to be heard.

"He made out with me, Ashley! And then we had hot and crazy monkey sex on the kitchen counter that night when you ran away!" Kairi shouted. She couldn't stand the thought of Ashley being happy. Even though Ashley whooped on Kairi, she got her revenge at that moment.

Ka-BOOOM. Both of Ashley's wings turned black so quickly there was a sonic boom. The Firagun Arrow went back up at Riku's head.

"Damn you!" Ashley cursed at Riku.

"You know what happened that night! Don't doubt my words to you!" Riku reasoned.

"Don't do it, Ashley!" Shuku cried out. Her words reached Ashley. She was holding back, but a part of her wanted to do it.

"Do it! He betrayed you! If your love was so strong how could it have been broken by Kairi?" Sephiroth said, brainwashing her. Ashley's arm shook unable to keep it steady any longer. Riku had already made his peace with death and was ready to die if Ashley had made the wrong choice.

Instead, Ashley turned the bow on herself.

"Somebody end it!" Ashley said, putting the arrow under her chin. She let go of the fire draw string and her head snapped backwards.

"No!" Riku and Shuku cried together. Ashley fell backwards into Sephiroth's arms.

"This won't be hard to turn her heart to my ways in a state like this." Sephiroth scooped her up in his arms. Kairi yelled to him.

"Wait what about me? If it weren't for me she'd be lost to you!"

"Oh I suppose I should thank you." Kairi smiled big waiting to get her spot back at Sephiroth's side. "But I'm not going to." Kairi went stone faced. Sephiroth jumped to great heights with Ashley. His one wing allowed him to glide across the sky. He was getting distance on them with Ashley.

"Shuku, go after them!" Tidus shouted.

"I know I'm the only one able to chase them, but if Sephiroth gets angry with me for tailing him, I might not be as lucky as Riku was." Shuku frowned. "Every time she decides for herself, things just go wrong. Then she has a ton of people trying to tell her what to do. I don't want to give up on her, but this is just becoming hopeless."

"Let's regroup and relax." Cloud said. Riku grabbed Cloud by the collar.

"How can I relax? The spawn of Satan just took my girlfriend and I'm supposed to relax?"

"She's your girlfriend?" Cloud asked with a smug look. Riku let go and turned red.

"Well I—I guess she is." Riku poked his fingers together.

"So childish." Shuku said. "But I think Cloud is on the right path."

"We'll just have to wait till they show up, reeking havoc." Cloud said.

"What if people die because we waited?" Aerith asked.

"That's just a sacrifice the worlds will have to make. Now let's go back to Merlin's house."

"He betrayed me…" Ashley recited. Sephiroth walked around her. They seemed to be in a cellar-like area.

"You want to get back at him, yes?" Sephiroth said.

"No." Sephiroth slapped her. She flew into a near by wall. It seemed like it would have done much more damage to such a fragile girl, but she stood back up and spit out a little blood.

"You want to get back at him." Sephiroth tried again.

"It wasn't his fault. It was that bitch's Kairi. I'll kill her." Again, Ashley received a brutal slap across the face. Sephiroth grabbed her by the neck.

"You don't want me to do this, the hard way. You really don't." Sephiroth threatened. Ashley glared.

"I'm not scared of you, Sephiroth. Don't you know that arrogance is part of the darkness package?" Ashley smarted. Sephiroth punched her in the gut. She keeled over, coughing out a good helping of blood.

"Are you going to keep making this difficult? You know you want to rule beside me, than fight against me." Sephiroth said. Ashley was his free ticket to Kingdom Hearts; he just needed her back in her state of emotional distress. Ashley had got a grasp on her value to Sephiroth and also got a grasp on the darkness.

"You're going to have to kill me, first!" She spat blood into his face. Sephiroth didn't expect the darkness to be so strong in her. It was as if it was driving her crazy and she had lost all logical reason. Everyone knew never to raise a hand against Sephiroth; yet she incited on being so difficult.

"That's it." Sephiroth said calmly. He grabbed Ashley's arms and pinned her against the wall.

"What are you doing?" Ashley watched his hand slide down her tummy. "What are you doing? She grew louder. Sephiroth's hand slid up her thigh and under her skirt. She felt his finger wrap around the side of her panties. She heard him rip them off. "HOLY…"

Riku looked up at the night sky, sitting on Merlin's balcony. Shuku came over to him with a soda. She handed it to him.

"Thanks." Riku said, popping it open. Shuku rested her rear on the stone banister.

"Riku, I know I haven't been the best of people towards you…" Shuku began.

"It's alright. I wouldn't be nice to me, either." Riku said.

"I just wanted to say I was sorry. I'm really sorry. I also want to thank you for caring so much about my friend." Shuku said. Riku sighed, recapping.

"It was like a romantic comedy when we first met. The way her eyes watched me all the time, made me feel appreciated. In that short time we were together she showed me more kindness that any one I've known." Riku told Shuku. Shuku took Riku's soda and took a sip. Riku didn't mind.

"You never told the full story of what happened between you and Kairi that night…" Shuku said in a manner that implied that he should tell her now. Riku crossed his arms, huffing.

"Well Kairi came back home with me on Halloween. Before I could even shut the front door, Kairi sprang on me—tongue and all. I hit the kitchen counter because of it. At little after that Ashley came out to check on me. And you know the rest…" Riku said.

"No, I don't." Shuku knew there was more to the story.

"...I don't want to talk about it." Riku turned his head away.

"You had better. Ashley is this way because of this. I want to know everything about what happened." Riku's heart ached.

"Well… I… I was…"

"You were what?" Shuku started to glare. "You'd had better tell me, if I have to find out from her, you'll rue the day that I did."

"You know what Kairi said about the monkey sex on the kitchen counter…?"

"OH my god! You didn't!" Shuku wanted to rip off her ears, but it was too late.

"We did, we did it. And I think Ashley saw."

"What do you mean you think she saw! She didn't eat for four days; I think she saw! Well, how do you think she caught you?" Shuku calmed herself.

"I think she was coming back to apologize for running out. We heard a rustle by the window but no one was there." Riku said.

"And you guys didn't stop after that!" Shuku shuddered. "Shame on you both."

"I know…" Riku said as a tears streamed down his face. "But I couldn't help myself. It was Kairi and I've always had a place for Kairi in my heart. And I wasn't thinking!"

"You're fortunate Ashley didn't speak a word of it to me before."

"She probably didn't know for sure until a few hours ago. When Kairi confirmed it. If she had known—she would have submitted herself to the darkness much earlier." Riku tried to dry his eyes but the tears wouldn't stop. "She's like this because of me. I don't know how much more guilt I can take. But I think about it all the time, how she might have known. Yet she didn't stop her kindness. She pretended to be angry with me a lot of times, but she gave me tons of hugs telling me how much she hated me. We laughed together because of that. We never spoke 'I love you'; we just kind of knew we did."

"Well, your words snapped her out of Sephiroth's brainwashing. Riku don't be so hard on yourself." Shuku gave him a big hug, not letting go for a while. "Things happen and people get over them. She's cope with what has happened and I know she'll come running back to you with a big smile." Shuku comforted. She petted Riku on the head as he bawled like a child. She smiled at him because he was starting to be true to himself. And that's all Shuku wanted all along…

Ashley lied on the floor curled up in fetal position.

"Why am I so angry…?" She thought. "I don't remember why. Riku and Kairi? Is that why? What am I supposed to do now? I've gotten myself into a heap of trouble and no one wants to help me out. Shuku is busy with Tidus and Sora and Riku… He has Kairi. Am I supposed to help Sephiroth, Xehanort? Am I supposed to abandon Riku, Xehanort? Please tell me what to do. I'm so scared…"


	11. Chapter Ten I Wanna Stay With You Forevr

**Kingdom Hearts II The Untold Chronicles**

**Chapter Ten – I Wanna Stay With You Forever**

**Reminder: It's getting kind of hectic. A lot of weird plot twist or things that one might not understand why are happening. But if you've gotten this far; Godspeed because it's about to get a whole lotta crazy—real fast**

"Where am I going…?" Ashley asked as she was being rushed out of the cellar area by a man nearly painted in red. She was being held by her waist.

"I got the mission from Cloud." She freaked.

"No! Let me go! Let me go! He hand fed me to that silver-haired demon!" She cried. He said nothing. "Sephiroth! Sephiroth!" She would rather be stuck with him than to go back to Cloud. A cold steel hand smacked against her mouth with out mercy.

"This is going to feel weird." He told her as she could see a light at the end of the hall. It seemed like a long tunnel and the man was taking her to heaven. From the outside, he swirled up into a red blob with frayed edges. He flew out of the mansion

"Why are you doing this?" Ashley asked trying to look at his eyes. They had a red-orange glow. She was afraid it would start out the way Cloud seemed to help her, but then turned on her the moment he saw her defect.

"I'm not doing this for you—if that's what you mean." Cold hearted. Ashley looked away. She was sorry she asked.

Cloud stood outside of Merlin's house, tapping his foot. He looked up into the sky, seeing the red blob heading his way. Cloud smiled to himself, knowing that Vincent, of all people, would get the job done. Cloud opened the front door and stood back, allowing Vincent to fly into the room freely.

Vincent flew into the room like a hawk, circling slowly, looking for a place to settle. Shuku, Riku, and Tidus were the only ones at Merlin's. Tifa and Aerith had gone out for food. Shuku was sipping on some tea with Riku, sharing a friendly stare. Their eyes followed the red thing around the room. Vincent settled to the floor with Ashley tucked away under his red cape.

"Who are you?" Shuku asked. She was quiet interested. He fit the description of tall, dark, and handsome.

"Vincent Valentine." He responded.

"What do you got there?" Shuku had no idea Cloud sent Vincent out to retrieve Ashley. Vincent lifted his cape, exposing the terrified Ashley. Riku dropped his jaw. Shuku stood up. "Is this a sick joke?" Shuku was very offended.

"It could be if you wanted it to." Vincent said. Riku walked over to Ashley with a look of shock. She was becoming thin and her eyes, which had returned to normal, showed sleep depravation. Riku placed his hands on her face, staring deep into her eyes.

"How did you do this, Riku? How did you give your self up to the darkness…?" Ashley asked. Riku embraced her tightly, hiding his own weakness. Vincent stepped back to give them some room.

"You don't have to worry about that. It was part of the past. You don't have to be like me." Riku said, trying to smell her. Her sweet scent had faded and she just smelled like rotten fruit. He pressed her head against his chest. "Why did you do this to yourself? Was it all for my sake?"

"When I woke up one morning on the Gummi ship… I had discovered something hideous. I had one wing and that wing was black—tainted with hatred and malice and my left eye was blue. I didn't know why it was so. The next day, I put on the cloak and planned to bump into you, Riku." Ashley was interrupted.

"So then you could see into his past…" Shuku said, nodding her head.

"That's when I saw _it_…" Ashley slowly pulled away.

"It was a different time when I went into the darkness. I'm not the same." Riku tried to explain. Ashley lifted her hand to stop him, but she didn't jam it in his face, either.

"I saw that, too, but what I…" She held her head and gave Riku a shove backward. "S-Stay away! I don't have it under control! I could kill you if I'm not careful." Ashley said. Vincent tucked her back under his cape.

"That is enough." He said to Riku. "I don't care about this situation because truthfully, this is just childish. But I will not have you pressuring someone in her condition." Vincent escorted Ashley to the door. Shuku rushed after Vincent.

"I thank you, from the bottom of my heart, Vincent—for bringing her back to me." Shuku bowed to honor him. Vincent blushed a bit as Shuku bent over he could see down her shirt. He said nothing. Shuku gave a seductive smile. "I will take her to the Hollow Bastion Lake, then to the hot springs. Her wings won't fit in a bath tub." Shuku smiled. Vincent just stared, handing Ashley back to Shuku. "You can come if you'd like." She smiled seductively. Vincent shook his head no.

"I can already tell, getting semi-naked with you wouldn't be in my best interest." Vincent kind of smiled.

"I don't bite—hard." Shuku winked. Vincent turned, flipping his cape before they could hit on each other anymore. "What a masterpiece." Shuku said turning to Ashley. She nodded slowly. "Now that's what I want to see! Let's go get clean and talk about boys, okay!" Shuku grabbed Ashley by the hand. Ashley remembered when they were children and would always hold hands.

"Shuku…" Ashley kept to herself.

Shuku stood waist deep in the clear lake water. Shuku and Ashley were wearing a white T-shirt, just incase they weren't alone. The girls had to cut a hole in the back to fit their wings through. The hole got so low it almost exposed their butts. Shuku scrubbed between Ashley's wings. It was over all quiet. Shuku took a plastic bucket she brought and poured it over Ashley's head to get all the suds off.

"Why'd you do it?" Shuku asked.

"Do what?" There were a lot of things Ashley had done. Most of them were pretty stupid and that's what it sounded like Shuku wanted to know. Shuku wanted to know why she did the stupid thing. But it was hard for Ashley to narrow that down.

"Look into Riku's past." Shuku clarified.

"I swore to myself I wouldn't." Ashley looked away. She scrubbed harder, trying to wash her sin away. "There are so many people that would die to see what some one was doing on a certain date—to see if they were telling the truth. Relationships are about trusting each other. What kind of person would I be if I had peered into his past the day after? I placed my faith in him. But I had to know. There was that feeling that something wasn't right. I needed to know."

"It's not your fault you wanted to know the truth. What am I talking about?" Shuku sighed. "I've been looking for people to blame or to just establish whose fault it was for this happening to you. I blamed Riku when it was really your own."

"I can take responsibility for my actions…"

"So what's it like?" Shuku asked.

"The darkness?" Ashley started to smile.

"Yeah!" Shuku was curious.

"It's amazing. A whole world of new power has opened up to me. But my sanity is the cost. Those who wander in the light have to train hard and earn their power. In the world of darkness all you need is compromise and you can have anything you want." Ashley seemed to be married to it.

"But you can't control it, either. Can you?" Shuku taunted.

"When Riku is near, it just goes crazy. The hate swelling up in me. The sex burning up my thoughts."

"Were you really going to shoot him, that day?"

"I was going to kill him if you hadn't spoke out to me." Ashley admitted. "I am ashamed because of that. This so called destiny to be consumed by the darkness isn't all I'd thought it to be."

"Why is that?" Shuku walked into the shallows, Ashley followed.

"Words are losing their meaning to describe my despair. I don't think I remember what love is. All I've wanted to do was forget the word."

"Let's head to the hot springs." Shuku said, putting the soaps and shampoos into the plastic bucket. They began climbing up a slope to reach the base of a mountain in the area. The mountain was known for its volcanic activity that produced cozy hot springs. Shuku and Ashley would sit and mellow out.

Shuku slid in first, wearing a towel around her. Ashley followed sitting down with a hand towel folded up on her head. They both gave the feel good sigh and sank deeper into the water.

"How I've got some gossip for you." Ashley said.

"Who's it about?" Shuku smiled.

"It's about me and a certain One Winged Angel." Ashley implied.

"Oooooo!" Shuku cooed with glee. Shuku slid over to Ashley, sitting on a natural rock formation that made a bench. "You didn't!"

"I sure didn't." Ashley sighed with the hots for Sephiroth.

"Why didn't you! That was like once in a life time chance!" Shuku crossed her arms. "I would have dove for it."

"Well… He _tried_ to rape me…" Ashley looked down.

"…_Tried_? So that means he failed right…?" Shuku was getting worried that Ashley had her womanhood stolen from her.

"Well you can't rape some one if they like it." Ashley stuck her tongue out with a devilish giggle. Shuku pushed Ashley on the shoulder

"Tell me what happened!" Shuku was giddy, now.

"I didn't know Sephiroth liked chocolate, if you know what I mean. But then again everyone has a sweet tooth." Ashley punned.

"What happened! Don't delay! Tell me, tell me! And you know you're going to have to tell Riku!" Shuku shouted.

"I don't have to do shit." Ashley turned her nose up. "I'm a bad girl now. Well, first off, I was being an uber bitch to him, right?" Shuku nodded. "I hoped he would kill me, actually. It seemed to me like the easiest way out than facing my fate. But he ripped off my panties and by now, I'm screaming my little head off. Sephiroth looked me in the eye and I shut the hell up. Then he did the thing—with the fingers—and the oh my gawd—feel so good…" Ashley drifted.

"You lucky, crow!" Shuku splashed water at her.

"Crow?" Ashley turned her head.

"Yeah, your wings look like the wings of a crow." Shuku said, daydreaming.

"I like it." Ashley seemed to be herself, again. But with more attitude than before. Shuku was glad.

"So did you sheath is Masamune, if you know what _I_ mean." Shuku smiled big.

"No! But if that Vincent hadn't gotten me, I'd be Sephiroth's bitch right about now." They both drooled.

"Promise to get me a date with him?" Shuku gave her puppy dog eyes routine.

"Go get your own piece of depressed-I-want-every-thing-to-die emo ass! Vincent seems that way. You were hitting on him, and he was playful." Ashley said.

"Well, he didn't seem all that interested…"

"Aren't you supposed to be with Sora?" Ashley narrowed her eyes.

"Aren't you supposed to be with Riku?" Shuku narrowed hers.

"Touché. Continue."

"I mean Vincent is just a bit too lonely for me. Sephiroth is my kind of guy." Shuku clasped her hands together in a form of prayer. "O please, Gods, reward me well for my service to the light." She laughed. "So unfair that you go over to the darkness and you seem to reap the benefits!"

"Like I said, there are some cons to being in the darkness as there are cons for being in the light."

"Name one!" Shuku argued.

"Cloud." They looked at each other.

"Eww." They said together.

"What a pussy." Shuku said.

"Amen to that."

"Still, getting to be lead to the darkness by Sephiroth? You're a lucky crow!" Shuku rested her head on Ashley's shoulder.

"I just still know fear. I pretended to be macho in front of Sephiroth. Once he finds out I'm gone; I'm afraid he'd come after me in a womanizing-domestic violence sort of way." Ashley held her hands together. "Oh god, I know he's coming for me." Ashley's body started to tremble with fear. Shuku lifted her head.

"Don't be afraid. You like him right?" Shuku doubled checked. "Because if you don't, I'll take your place."

"Riku… Riku! Don't let him touch me! Riku, where are you? You said you'd protect me! Riku, I'll forgive you for sleeping with Kairi, just come help me! Riku… Ri-i-i-ku" Ashley sobbed. Ashley covered her mouth and closed her eyes tightly. She looked to Shuku. Shuku was on to her now.

"You're dead serious about the darkness, aren't you? All this time you say you can't 'control' it. You were never talking _about_ the darkness. You can control the darkness just fine. You just can't control the speck of light that is still in your body! That would explain why your wings are still here!" Shuku moved away from her.

"I want it out of my body! It's what keeps me remembering Riku—the one who betrayed me! The one who stolen my heart and made me this way! It's his fault not mine! He did this to me!"

"No. You did this to yourself." Shuku said as she was losing face with her friend. "I'm not going to hang around anymore. Nice talking to you—I guess." Shuku stood up and proceeded to walk away.

Ashley sat in the hot spring, diving into her mind. It was an all white area. Where the dark Ashley roamed it was painted black. The dark Ashley walked over to the light Ashley who was tucked into a ball. The light Ashley sported white wings and a plain white dress.

"You think this is funny, don't you?" The dark Ashley threatened. The other half looked up with long eyes. "Sending out your little S.O.S.! Once I find out a way to rid myself of you completely you'll rue the day you did that in front of Shuku!"

"I know this isn't my destiny! The thing is about destiny is that it can be changed and…" The dark Ashley slapped the light Ashley across the face.

"You shut your fucking mouth! Talk like that will get us killed! We are different but this is one body. _Our_ body. The people of the light will try and kill us since I rule now. If I pansy out like you would, we're as good as dead! And then you'd never see that pitiful excuse of a soul, Riku! You wanna see Riku, right!"

"To see Riku…? If am I good…?"

"Yes, you'll be able to see that stupid son of a bitch. Now be a good girl, and kept quiet!"

Ashley opened the door to Merlin's house. She was in her normal clothes of a blue halter top and a black mini skirt. The room was quiet although it was filled with faces. Riku looked at her with disappointment.

"You peered into my past?" Riku confronted. Ashley's eyes darted to Shuku in disbelief. Shuku had snitched on her. Shuku wore of look of, 'hit me if you wanna.'

"Yeah. I did. Get over it." Ashley knew when it was time to leave. She turned back around to head out the door. Riku rushed over to the door and grabbed it to keep her from opening it. He looked at her with hurt eyes.

"You're so different now…" Riku started.

"Get away from me." Ashley sneered. She wasn't going to listen to the past. She like herself more than ever. She was strong and could control her fire. It was her destiny to go to the darkness.

"I liked the way you smiled at me after I found you. The way you smiled was hideous…" His words pierced.

"You're going to find a foot broken off in your ass." She threatened.

"It was hideous and yet so beautiful. Will you at least rethink this whole darkness charade. You don't have to prove anything to me—or do what some dead guy says." Riku comforted. Her heart was being set aflame. Riku was reaching her.

"Well, I…" Riku could see the passive, sane, normal Ashley coming back to him. "I wanna stay with you forever, Riku." A force like no other wrapped around Ashley's wrist, sliding through the door frame.

"That's most unfortunate." Once his voice entered the room, eyeballs rolled and Cloud was instantly pissed off. Sephiroth stuck his foot in the door and kicked it open. The door smacked Riku in the face, but Ashley was kept along side the door so she was unharmed. Sephiroth yanked her arm, nearly tearing Ashley in two.

"You're hurting me…" She whimpered.

"Fair is fair. Didn't you think you hurt my feelings when you ran off like that?" Sephiroth smirked. Who knew he could have feelings.

"Unhand her, Sephiroth." Cloud spoke up.

"Oh, Cloud. Did you miss me? I know I've missed you." Sephiroth toyed with him. Cloud wanted to spit into his face. Sephiroth turned his attention to Ashley. "Let's get going, my sweet." Shuku clutched her throat, holding back the vomit. Shuku ran the phrase in her head over and over, 'his sweet.' She felt ill. Riku did as well.

Sephiroth yanked Ashley again, pulling her close and laying a wet one on her—even jamming his tongue down her throat. Jaws dropped. Riku felt his existence falling apart in that instant. Ashley was starting to lose it again.

"I told you—I told you acting like a pansy will get us killed! Look at how he is treating you! Tossing you around! Handsome or not, we shouldn't stand for this!" Ashley's dark side fought with her in the regions of her mind.

"I guess you we right this whole time…" Ashley's light side huffed a sigh.

"Now, don't punk out like you did before and submit your heart to the darkness—ALL OF IT!" The dark side commanded.

"But I'll die." The light side responded.

"You'd die anyways! Let the darkness take you completely! And don't try and run back like you did before! This time, we'll make the transformation complete and we won't have to compete for exsitance."

"Why can't we just co-exsist?" The light side tried to reason.

"Shut up!" And with that, Sephiroth pulled away from Ashley, everyone unaware with the choice that Ashley just made in that brief moment. Sephiroth stuck his finger into his mouth.

"Were you chewing gum, my love?" Sephiroth asked, pulling out the last and final chunk of the Kingdom Millennia Crystal. He flicked it like trash. Shuku watched carefully, as the tiny grain landed on the floor. Ashley looked up and her wings started to wilt like a rose. All the feathers floated down to the ground making two large piles. The bones that supported the wings turned to dust. Shuku rubbed the tears from her eyes.

"She's gone…" Shuku sniffled a bit. She kept her calm. "The Ashley we know is gone…" Sora and Tidus were confused. Riku, all the more. "You all say you know the legend of the keepers of Kingdom Hearts. We're branded by angelic white wings, are we not?"

"Yeah…" Cloud answered for them. He was more alert to the story that was thought to be fairy tale anyhow.

"Her wings are gone. Only her pure heart kept them there, and her pure heart kept the crystal in her body. She gave herself up because of him." Shuku glared at Sephiroth. "Because of _you_!" Shuku cried out ready to go after Sephiroth. She didn't care what happened to her. Her best friend was truly gone.

"Because of him, I'm finally free of that nuisance piece of the light residing in my new body." Ashley said looking over her hands. Something about her essence was over all different. "I should thank him..." Everyone couldn't believe their ears. Thank him? Sephiroth basically turned her into the undead.

"I knew you'd come around, my love" Sephiroth played the violin to get Ashley back on his side.

"…But I won't." A wicked smirk crossed Ashley's face. She grabbed Sephiroth's wrist like he did hers. She gave a simple flip and Sephiroth was on his knees holding his shoulder joint. "Should I say sorry, cupcake?" She twisted harder. Sephiroth yelped. "Should I say sorry? SHOULD I? SHOULD I?" She was obviously having fun, but outside the box, everyone thought she was nuts. Yet, they were all stunned. She was brining the One Winged Angel to his knees.

"N-no!" Sephiroth said, and Ashley let go like a good girl. Sephiroth went to hit her with a vicious punch. He threw his fist at her.

Ashley caught it with knew effort. She slowly moved her head to get a good look at Sephiroth.

"You've gotten what you've wanted… Is this not to your liking, pumpkin?" Ashley mocked with the pet names. Her eyes were slowly turning blue with cat-like pupils—just like Sephiroth's. Cloud stepped backward.

"Dear god," Cloud said. "Sephiroth, what have you unleashed on the worlds in your greed to have Kingdom Hearts?" Ashley looked to Cloud. Cloud stepped back, afraid of what she'd do with her childish attitude for hurting people.

"He will not have Kingdom Hearts. Because Kingdom Hearts… Belongs solely to me." Ashley said with a black aura flaming upward.


End file.
